The united opposition held a protest on December 2, 2018, in front of the Parliament building in Tbilisi, denouncing what they described as fraudulent presidential elections in which Salome Zurabishvili defeated Grigol Vashadze. The opposition demanded early parliamentary elections.

Opposition leaders addressed the crowd, urging the government to form a working group to find a way out of what they called a “political crisis,” giving authorities until December 16 to respond.

Zurabishvili’s inauguration took place in Telavi on December 16. Opposition leaders and supporters traveled there to protest, but police blocked their route in the village of Velistsikhe, resulting in clashes. Protesters later returned to Tbilisi, continuing demonstrations outside Parliament.

Parallel protests occurred in Zugdidi, where demonstrators symbolically dumped potatoes and onions at the governor’s office, claiming Zurabishvili “bought votes” with food handouts.

On December 19, opposition member Davit Kirkitadze was arrested for assaulting a police officer during the Velistsikhe clashes. His detention sparked further protests near the Gurjaani court, where he was ultimately remanded in custody. Kirkitadze was released from prison on May 31, 2019.