Georgian police and special forces began clearing protesters and barricades from the main avenue in Tbilisi after a second night of clashes, triggered by the ruling party announcement that it will delay talks with the European Union on membership.

Georgian police on Friday fired water cannon and tear gas on demonstrators, as thousands took to the streets for a second day to protest the government putting off EU membership talks.

Police in Georgia arrested dozens of people overnight and early Friday in a violent crackdown on protests against the government's decision to delay EU membership talks.

Police and protesters have clashed in Georgia after the country’s ruling party suspended negotiations to join the European Union until 2028

Police in Tbilisi fired water cannons at protesters who took to the streets after Georgia’s ruling party suspended negotiations to join the European Union until 2028.

Georgia is suspending talks on its bid to join the European Union for four years, its prime minister said Thursday, in view of what he described as “blackmail and manipulation” from some of the bloc's politicians.

Police clashed with protesters in the Georgian capital Tbilisi early on Friday, after the country’s ruling party said the government would suspend talks on European Union accession and refuse budgetary grants until 2028.

Georgia on Thursday said it will suspend accession talks with the European Union until the end of 2028. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze from the nationalist Georgian Dream ruling party said Brussels' demands for negotiations were a form of blackmail and said integration was a two-way process.