Georgian police detained several people who tried to protest against the arrival of the Astoria Grande passenger liner from Russia in Batumi, informs «Formula».

Now reinforced law enforcement squads have been put up in the Batumi port, and the territory is cordoned off with iron fences. Local residents protesting against Russian tourists were detained administratively due to clashes with law enforcement officers. Representatives of the opposition parties began to gather in Batumi near the port late at night. In their defense, they said that there were people on board the liner who supported military operations on Ukraine, and allegedly advocate the separation of Abkhazia from Georgia.

It should be noted that the Russians, despite the provocation attempt, went down to the shore, walked around the city, visited local cafes, and then returned on board. In response to the cries of the Georgian opposition, the tourists massively sang «Katyusha» to them right from the deck. In addition, the Russians «trolled» local activists, shouting to them «See you again!», «Thank you for everything!», «We love you too!»

At the same time, the Georgian Maritime Transport Agency issued a statement on July 25 explaining that Astoria Grande operates a commercial flight, flies the flag of Palau, serves a Turkish cruise company and will enter the port of Batumi from the Turkish Trabzon. The ship-owning company, as noted in the agency, is registered in the Seychelles and is not under sanctions.