Georgian police on Wednesday raided the offices of an opposition party and arrested its leader in an apparent attempt to squelch a wave of mass protests triggered by the governing party’s decision to suspend negotiations on joining the European Union.

The leader of Georgia's main opposition party has been detained by police in the capital Tbilisi after being knocked to the ground and falling unconscious, his party said, the most high-profile in a sweeping wave of arrests of senior opposition figures.

Local media in Georgia reported that police carried out raids targeting the offices of several opposition groups and non-governmental organizations.

By suspending talks with the E.U., the party was decisively pivoting to Russia and away from its European aspirations — one of the few goals most Georgians agree on.

Nika Gvaramia, 48, a leader from one of four opposition groups, was carried by his arms and legs by police from his party HQ in a side street next to parliament in the capital Tbilisi. Other leaders were later ambushed after they met at a hotel and decided to push for a general strike.

Francine Lacqua interviews Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili about the protests against pro-Russia factions trying to block her country from joining the European Union and NATO. (Source: Bloombe

Police in the Georgian capital have again moved to disperse thousands of demonstrators after over 200 people were detained during four previous nights of protests against the government’s decision to

Georgia's rights ombudsman on Tuesday accused police of torturing pro-European Union protesters rallying for six consecutive days against the government's decision to shelve EU accession talks amid a post-election crisis.