Georgian riot police have deployed water cannon, pepper spray and tear gas to disperse protesters who tried to storm the presidential palace in Tbilisi during municipal elections. The clashes took place on Saturday after opposition groups, who had boycotted the vote, called for a “peaceful revolution” against the governing Georgian Dream (GD) party, accusing it of authoritarianism and adopting pro-Russia policies. In the evening, a group of demonstrators moved towards the palace and attempted to break through the fence, according to witnesses. The government froze accession talks with the European Union following last year’s disputed parliamentary election, sparking months of demonstrations. Authorities had warned in advance that they would respond firmly to any attempt at what they described as a push for “revolution”.