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00:00Carrying him by the arms and legs, several Georgian police officers forcibly drag a man
00:05into a vehicle.
00:07His name is Nika Gevamia and he is a leading member of the Georgian opposition.
00:13The 48-year-old lawyer and former minister of justice leads the party Coalition for Change
00:19and is an ally of the imprisoned former president, Mikheil Saakashvili.
00:24In this footage he can be seen surrounded by hooded officers.
00:28His party says he was detained during a raid on their headquarters and was beaten unconscious
00:33before being taken away, along with several other members of the group.
00:38It was one of multiple raids on opposition groups and non-government organisations on
00:43Wednesday, according to local media.
00:47Since the government's decision to suspend negotiations on joining the European Union,
00:52the capital has been consumed with protests.
00:55Georgian police have used tear gas and water cannons on demonstrators, who in return have
01:00let off fireworks in Tbilisi.
01:05Underpinning the protests is a widespread belief that the election of the ruling Georgian
01:09Dream Party on October 26th was neither free or fair.
01:15The Georgian Prime Minister has dismissed their concerns and praised police efforts.
01:25All of this reflects the overall mindset of the radical opposition and the deep despair
01:30within their ranks today.
01:31Now, they have resorted to fantasies about radical scenarios.
01:35However, the state will take all necessary measures to ensure such plans are not realised.
01:42On Tuesday, Georgia's right ombudsman, a former opposition figure, accused the police of severely
01:48mistreating detainees and even torturing protesters.
01:52According to the Ministry of the Interior, nearly 300 people have been detained since
01:57the beginning of the movement.