Thousands marched through the Georgian capital on the evening of November 28 to mark 365 nights of continuous protests against the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party.

Large scale rallies began a year ago after GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze suspended membership negotiations with the European Union, essentially freezing Georgia’s bid to join to the bloc and marking a dramatic political pivot that incited widespread public outrage.

Polls show many in the Caucasus country consider themselves part of Europe, and GD’s foreign policy U-turn was widely seen as evidence of the government’s increasing alignment with Russia and abandonment of the European path.

“Our country doesn’t deserve this. Our place is unquestionably in Europe,” Georgian outlet OC Media cited one protest participant as saying on November 28.

In the early weeks of protests the authorities cracked down on demonstrators using tear gas, water cannons and batons. Hundreds were arrested and reported brutal beatings in police custody.

A year on from Kobakhidze’s announcement, Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi was again a sea of Georgian, American and EU flags, reflecting a nation’s firm commitment to Euro-Atlantic integration and sustained resistance to Russian influence.

Demonstrators gathered in several locations around Tbilisi, including outside the State University, before convening to march down to the Parliament building, where they blocked the road for several hours to hear speeches from activists and members of the pro-western opposition.

Over the past year GD has moved to effectively criminalise protests in an attempt to crush dissent outright. Offences at rallies such as blocking traffic and covering one’s face, previously punishable by heavy fines, now result in up to two years’ imprisonment for repeat offences.

Despite the risks, public determination has held fast, though the numbers on November 28 were significantly less than a year ago.