Georgia has been rocked by protests after its increasingly autocratic government said it would halt the former Soviet country’s bid to join the European Union. The ruling Georgian Dream party, which claimed victory in last month’s election that observers said was fraudulent,

Georgian riot police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators protesting a government decision to delay pursuing European Union accession.

Police in Georgia arrested dozens of people overnight and early Friday in a violent crackdown on protests against the government's decision to delay EU membership talks.