Tensions rose between protesters and police in Georgia on Tuesday night after lawmakers gave preliminary approval to a draft law on “foreign agents” that has been criticized for signaling an authoritarian turn.
Water cannons and tear gas were used by police in the heart of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, in an attempt to disperse thousands of protesters who were angry that the draft law could harm their country’s chances of joining the European Union.
It has been compared to a law passed in Russia in 2012 that has been used to repress dissenting voices, according to critics.
Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili has said she backs the protesters and promised to stop the bill if it gets to her desk.
