Georgian authorities arrested 48 people late Friday during EU-supporting protests in Tbilisi, after police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse demonstrators.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated on Saturday that the arrests were made on charges of defiance and vandalism, following violent actions by some protesters, who threw stones at and insulted the police.

Protests continue in Georgia against the government, which the opposition accuses of suspending EU accession talks and manipulating the results of the October parliamentary elections.

In Tbilisi, there was a strong police intervention to disperse crowds in front of the parliament, resulting in injuries among security forces and a rising number of arrests.