Thousands of Georgian protesters attempt to storm parliament demanding government resign

Police fire tear gas as appearance of Russian politician in parliament building sparks anger

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  An opposition demonstrator sits in front police line at Georgian Parliament to call for the resignation of the speaker of the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Police have fired a volley of tear gas at a massive throng of protesters outside the Georgian national parliament, who are trying to storm the building and are demanding the government's resignation.(AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

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  An opposition demonstrator stands in front of a police line at the Georgian Parliament to call for the resignation of the speaker of the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Police have fired a volley of tear gas at a massive throng of protesters outside the Georgian national parliament, who are trying to storm the building and are demanding the government's resignation.(AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

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  Opposition demonstrators run away as police fired a volley of tear gas against them at Georgian Parliament during a protest in Tbilisi, Georgia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Police have fired a volley of tear gas at a massive throng of protesters outside the Georgian national parliament, who are trying to storm the building and are demanding the government's resignation. (AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

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  REFILE - CORRECTING DATE Riot police clash with demonstrators during a protest against a Russian lawmaker's visit in Tbilisi, Georgia June 21, 2019. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze

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  Police block an entrance of the Georgian Parliament as opposition demonstrators gather to call for the resignation of the speaker of the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Police have fired a volley of tear gas at a massive throng of protesters outside the Georgian national parliament, who are trying to storm the building and are demanding the government's resignation.(AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

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  An opposition demonstrator stands in front police line at Georgian Parliament to call for the resignation of the speaker of the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Police have fired a volley of tear gas at a massive throng of protesters outside the Georgian national parliament, who are trying to storm the building and are demanding the government's resignation.(AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

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  An opposition demonstrator carries a woman during a protest at the Georgian Parliament to call for the resignation of the speaker of the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Police have fired a volley of tear gas at a massive throng of protesters outside the Georgian national parliament, who are trying to storm the building and are demanding the government's resignation.(AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

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  People rally outside the parliament in Tbilisi on June 20, 2019. Georgian police used tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters attempting to storm the country's parliament on June 20, 2019 after a Russian lawmaker controversially addressed the assembly from the speaker's seat, causing uproar in Tbilisi. / AFP / Vano SHLAMOV

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  An opposition demonstrator throws a tear gas cannister back to the police line at Georgian Parliament to call for the resignation of the speaker of the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Police have fired a volley of tear gas at a massive throng of protesters outside the Georgian national parliament, who are trying to storm the building and are demanding the government's resignation.(AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

Police have fired a volley of tear gas at a massive throng of protesters outside the Georgian Parliament who tried to storm the building to demand the government's resignation.

The clouds of gas appeared to do little to discourage the crowd. Police earlier Thursday turned back an attempt by the crowd to storm the building, then pushed back another surge about two hours later.

Some demonstrators hoisted shields that had been seized from riot police.

The unrest was sparked by the appearance Thursday of Russian legislator Sergei Gavrilov in the building as part of an assembly of politicians from Orthodox Christian countries.

A riot policeman fires a tear gas canister towards protesters during a rally against a Russian lawmaker's visit in Tbilisi, Georgia June 21, 2019. Reuters

Mr Gavrilov has supported independence for the Georgian breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, over which Georgia lost control in a 2008 war with Russia.

He is also a supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is despised by many Georgians.

Georgia and Russia broke diplomatic relations after the war and although steps have been made to restore normal relations, animosity towards Moscow is strong and many Georgians resent any sort of official visit by Russians.

The visit of the Russian delegation of the Orthodox assembly already had prompted complaints, but the anger turned into a street protest after Mr Gavrilov sat in the chair of the Georgian Parliament speaker during a session of the assembly.