On March 11, 2017, in Batumi, police fined one man, Jimi Varshanidze, for obstructing traffic. At the time, he was with Ramaz Khimshiashvili. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ press service, Varshanidze resisted police and insulted them. Both men were arrested under Article 173 of the Administrative Offenses Code for disobeying a lawful order.

Minutes later, the same area — Chavchavadze Street, near the “Plaza” — became the site of a growing protest. Unrest broke out in Batumi as residents, angered by police fines, blocked the road and demanded the resignation of the head of the Adjara Patrol Police and the release of the detainees. Protesters later marched to the main headquarters of the Adjara Police Department, where police detained two more people.

When no response came regarding the release of the detainees, protesters began throwing stones at the police building. In response, officers used tear gas to disperse the crowd. The rally briefly broke up but soon re-formed, joined by masked young men who hurled Molotov cocktails and bricks at police and nearby buildings.

The protest spiraled out of control. Citizens, journalists, and police officers were injured, and around 20 people were hospitalized in Batumi.

After midnight, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili was traveling to Batumi. Zurab Pataradze, head of the Adjara government, said the minister had promised to release the detainees. Within hours, the detainees were freed, but demonstrators still refused to disperse.

Protesters overturned and set fire to police cars, damaged private vehicles, smashed shop windows, tore down barriers, and destroyed public infrastructure — repairs later costing about 150,000 GEL.

By 5 a.m., riot police had arrived and began dispersing the crowd. The unrest in Batumi subsided, with police arresting 40 people. The minister later stated that the situation was under control.

Of those detained, the Batumi City Court reviewed 16 cases that same day, March 12. Two minors were released in the courtroom, four people were sentenced to five days of administrative detention, and three others were released on bail pending trial. In total, 21 people were charged, and 18 admitted to participating in mass disorder.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs launched a criminal investigation under Articles 225 (organization or participation in mass violence) and 353¹ (violence against police officers). On April 24, police arrested former “Free Zone” member Irakli Chkhvirkia and NGO “Anti-Corruption Information Center” head Merab Gogoberidze for allegedly organizing the Batumi riots of March 11–12.

During the clashes, Chkhvirkia released a video statement demanding that the government release detained protesters within 1.5 hours, promising that demonstrators would stop throwing stones if the demand was met.

Merab Gogoberidze also declared himself an organizer of the protest but said that responsibility for the escalation rested with the authorities, not him.

After eight months of proceedings, the Batumi City Court acquitted both Gogoberidze and Chkhvirkia on the main charges of organizing the unrest.

Another demand — the dismissal of the Adjara Police Department chief, Kakha Bukhradze — was met a few months later, in June 2017, when he was replaced by Levan Maisuradze, former head of the Rustavi police.

What began as a protest over a 50-lari fine ended in burned trees, damaged plants, dismantled road barriers, uprooted pavement, broken traffic lights and signs — leaving behind destruction that cost the city 150,000 GEL.