The demonstrations come amid a growing row between Georgia and the EU over its proposed “foreign agent” bill.

Demonstrators have again taken to the streets of Georgian capital Tbilisi to demand the government drop controversial plans to brand civil society groups “foreign agents.”

It’s the second major standoff over perceived crackdowns on freedom of speech in the space of a year, after a public outcry and international condemnation forced the government to shelve an earlier version of the proposed law in March of 2023.

Groups of protesters began a picket outside the parliament building in Tbilisi on Monday afternoon in opposition to the proposals, waving placards equating their government to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Others waved EU flags and sounded klaxons, while footage posted online appears to show riot police deployed in the capital.