Gori residents protested against police after detainees were beaten.

A protest rally against police violence took place in Gori following the beating of two local residents. Family members of prisoners of conscience and politicians participated in the rally.

As reported by Kavkazsky Knot, the prosecutor's office detained six police officers in connection with the excessive use of force against Gori resident Papuna Lotsulashvili. Lotsulashvili himself is at large, but a case has been opened against him for violence against police officers.

A verbal altercation broke out near the police station where the demonstration was taking place in Gori. The conflict erupted between demonstrators and police officers, Interpressnews reports.

The protesters attempted to enter the police station and get answers to their questions. "Murderers, murderers!" - chanted those gathered at the police station.

"They took an oath to protect the citizens of Georgia and ensure the law is upheld, but the complete opposite is happening. We saw "The footage of them beating people, punching them in the face—is that the police? The impunity syndrome has spread to all police officers. This must end as soon as possible," protesters said.

Representatives of opposition political parties were present at the protest, according to Pirveli TV.

Vato Surguladze, a member of the Lelo - Strong Georgia party, who is in Gori with the protesters, called the police "death squads." "The leadership, which sits not only here but also in Tbilisi, has given them the right to do whatever they want. If they have any self-respect, whether it's the Gori police leadership or the central leadership, they should have resigned long ago. They won't, because all of this is being done with their permission," Surguladze said. The system, which serves only to protect Bidzina Ivanishvili, has once again demonstrated violence against citizens, said Khatia Dekanoidze, one of the leaders of the United National Movement. She said the police actions in Gori only became public thanks to the work of independent journalists.

"When the system is violent, and we're talking about such levels of impunity, it has one distinguishing feature: you can be loyal to the system, as an insider, as a police officer, but the public's reaction and solidarity are of paramount importance," Dekanoidze emphasized.

Nino Elikashvili, the mother of Lasha Abisonashvili, who was beaten by police in Gori, is confident that justice will prevail, as the video of her son's beating has received widespread attention. She expressed hope that the efforts of so many people will not be in vain.

"I was deeply hurt: not only for my son, but also for his friend; they grew up together. These two young men may have been victims at that moment, but they became saviors for other potential victims who may appear in the near future. All law enforcement officers who brought these boys to this situation must be punished. These images have caused a huge stir, and I believe that justice will prevail," said Nino Elikashvili.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that five former and current security officials were detained in Georgia on charges of violence against participants in pro-European protests in 2024. Victims, activists, and representatives of opposition parties called the detention a farce and an attempt to deceive the public. On May 9, all those detained were placed under arrest.