Protest at Georgian border as Russians arrive

(28 Sep 2022)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Larsi, Georgia - 28 September 2022
1. Mid of police and protesters
2. Mid of protesters holding Georgian and Ukrainian flags
3. Close of banner reading (English) "Russia is an occupier. Putin is a terrorist"
4. Close of police
5. Mid of protesters holding banners
6. Close of banner reading (English) "Russia a terrorist state"
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Giga Lemonjava, executive secretary of Droa party:
"On the background of the military mobilization in the Russian Federation, hundreds and thousands of Russian citizens cross Russian-Georgian border every day. Georgian side has no precise information who those individuals are and what their real intention is while arriving in Georgia. The Georgian government which very openly cooperates with Russian FSB (Federal Security Service) does nothing to respond to threats and challenges coming from Russia. But when government enacts, we the Georgian people should demonstrate our position very clearly. We believe that such kind of migration from Russia in Georgia poses an imminent threat to Georgia's national security, Georgia's economy and stability in general."
8. Tilt up from 'Glory to Ukraine' banner to protesters
9. Close of man holding a banner reading (English) "Russia kills"
10. Mid of police and protesters
11. Various of cars at the border crossing
12. Various of Russian citizens walking along the highway
13. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Kiril Kuznetsev, Russian citizen from St. Petersburg:
"My opinion is that (in Russia) the situation is very unstable, more precisely it is very bad and is threatening lives of people. Nothing good is happening unfortunately when people like (the current government) are holding the power."
14. People walking along highway
15. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Aleksandr Kamisentsev, Russian citizen from Saratov:
"All is very scary (at the Russian side of the border crossing) - tears, screams, a huge amount of people. There is a feeling that the government does not know how to organize it. It seems that they want to close the border, but at the same time they are afraid that protests may follow and let people leave."
16. People walking
17. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Aleksandr Kamisentsev, Russian citizen from Saratov:
"I decided at the very last moment to leave because I am not going to kill my brother Ukrainians or go to prison."
18. People walking along the highway
19. Wide of border crossing
STORYLINE:
Protesters gathered at the Georgian-Russian border crossing in Larsi on Wednesday as long lines of Russia citizens continued to arrive.
Protesters in convoys traveled from Tbilisi to voice their concerns over the exodus of Russian citizens into Georgia that has increased since Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization on 21 September.
The protest was organized by the Georgian political party Droa.
"We believe that such kind of migration from Russia in Georgia poses an imminent threat to Georgia's national security, Georgia's economy and stability in general", said Gigi Lemonjava, executive secretary of Droa.
The mass exodus of men — alone or with their families or friends — began Sept. 21, shortly after Putin's address to the nation, and continued all this week.
Early on, they snapped up airline tickets, which spiked in price on the few airlines still flying out of Russia.
But the rest had to fill up their cars and join the long lines snaking on roads toward the borders.
Social media showed hundreds of pedestrians lining up at the checkpoint after Russian border guards relaxed regulations and allowed people to cross on foot.  
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