GD PM Irakli Kobakhidze warned ahead of the October 4 rally that the government will deploy “the maximum force that is necessary to protect the law” if violence breaks out. Speaking at a briefing, Kobakhidze said law-enforcement agencies have been given strict instructions to act within legal limits while preventing unlawful attempts to overthrow or violently change the constitutional order.
Kobakhidze acknowledged past incidents in which excessive force was used during large protests, naming several high-profile cases that drew public criticism. He said the government’s goal now is to prevent any repeat of those episodes: “We will do everything to ensure that not a single such incident occurs,” he said, while also stressing that authorities will respond firmly to violence. According to the prime minister, steps have been taken to both deter violent actors and to better identify those who commit violent acts.
Addressing the identification of perpetrators specifically, Kobakhidze said security services have strengthened their capabilities. “If in the previous case we managed to identify about 3% of the violent protesters, in this case, if violence occurs, the rate of identification will be much higher,” he said, and warned that those who take part in violent actions risk long prison terms. He framed the message as a double imperative: protect public order, but do so within the law.
Kobakhidze also rejected characterizations that the announced rally represents broad public will, calling it instead a gathering of opposition-minded groups. He reiterated the government’s appeal to political leaders and organizers to distance themselves from any calls to overthrow the constitutional order and urged citizens to refrain from acts that could lead to criminal charges.
