Georgia has suspended its bid to join the European Union, prompting thousands of protesters to take to the streets, where they clashed with police in the capital of Tbilisi.

For the second evening in a row, large crowds of demonstrators gathered in Georgia to protest the government's decision to halt talks toward joining the European Union. Tens of thousands gathered in the capital Tbilisi and other observers confirmed that there were significantly more demonstrators on the streets than on Thursday evening.

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.