TBILISI — Only six days ago, Georgia was drawing praise for pressing pause on a controversial police raid to capture the country’s top opposition leader.
That ended Tuesday.
During an early morning raid, Georgia police broke into the party headquarters of the United National Movement (UNM), where Nika Melia, the UNM chair, had been holed up. Local TV channels broadcasting the raid live showed police using what appeared to be pepper spray or tear gas as they clashed with Melia’s supporters barricaded inside, who had been attempting to prevent his arrest. In the end, the police dragged out Melia.
Moments later, the U.S. and European governments that had lauded Georgia last week were now warning that the Black Sea nation is dangerously faltering in its efforts to become a Western-aligned democracy. And in Tbilisi, protesters swiftly gathered outside Georgia’s parliament, blocking the main avenue through the capital.
