Protesters try to storm Georgian parliament after visit from pro-Putin Russian

Mass protests erupted in Georgia's capital after a pro-Putin Russian politician visited the city's parliament.

Russian legislator Sergei Gavrilov arrived in Tiblisi as part of an assembly of legislators from Orthodox Christian countries.

But many Georgians had been reluctant to host him and seeing him sitting in the chair of the Georgian parliament's speaker during an assembly session appeared to be too much.

Thousands of protesters tried to storm the building, demanding the resignation of the government.

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters and used water cannons to drive them back from the building.

The number of people injured was unclear.

David Sergeenko, an adviser to Georgia's prime minister, said 39 police officers and 30 civilians were treated in hospitals.

However, the Rustavi-2 television station reported 100 injured demonstrators had been counted at one hospital.

Mr Gavrilov supported independence for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, over which Georgia lost control in a 2008 war with Russia.

He also backs Russian president Vladimir Putin, who is unpopular with many Georgians.

Gigi Ugulava, from the opposition European Georgia party, said Mr Gavrilov's visit was a "humiliation".

He said: "We asked the government not to allow this guy to come here, but they have allowed - not only allowed to cross the Georgian border, but to sit in the chair of the president of the parliament.

"So, this was the biggest humiliation of the nation and that's why this big crowd came despite these bullets and tear gas people are here and still fighting."

By Friday morning police had regained control of the streets in Tiblisi.