Female participant of traders' action in Zugdidi detained

For the fourth day in a row, several dozen people are protesting against the ban to trade near the marketplace in Zugdidi. Today, there were several clashes of traders and policemen; one of the protesting women was taken to the police station.

On January 30, by the order of the Zugdidi Mayoralty, the counters and pallets installed in the territory adjacent to the city marketplace were dismantled. Protest actions of the people, who had traded there, began on the following day. They assert that their modest revenues do not permit them to rent trading places in the marketplace itself.

On February 1, protesters demanded a meeting with Lasha Gogiya, the Mayor of Zugdidi, but officials of the local administration refused to receive them. After this, minor traders tried to break through the police cordon in front of the Mayoralty; two people were injured.

The today's action at the Zugdidi marketplace was held under police's reinforced supervision. A woman detained during clashes with policemen rendered resistance, according to law enforcers.

The video posted on the YouTube on January 31 under the heading "Protest rally near Zugdidi Mayoralty continues" shows how people, including elderly women, are trying to break through the police cordon.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.