For the second night running, police deployed tear gas and made heavy use of water cannon against the demonstrators. Earlier, more than 100 diplomats and civil servants in Georgia signed an open letter saying the government's decision does not align with Georgia's strategic interests.

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.

Pro-European Union Georgians were gathering on Friday for a second night of protests, after the country's ruling party said on Thursday that it was halting EU accession talks until 2028, in an abrupt freeze to a long-standing national aim.

Thousands of demonstrators protesting the Georgian government's decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union rallied outside the parliament and clashed with police for a second straight night on Friday.

Police deploying water cannon and pepper spray moved against thousands of pro-European protesters massed in the centre of Tbilisi on Friday after Georgia's ruling party said it was halting EU accession talks until 2028.

Demonstrators in Tbilisi, Georgia tried to break through the side gates of the Parliament building. This comes amid the ongoing protests in the country after the Georgia government announced it would put a halt to EU admission negotiations until 2028.