Georgian officials, ethnic Armenians clash in southern Georgia

Yerkir web site, Yerevan
11 Sep 04

Yerevan, 10 September: Two ethnic Georgians initiated a clash between
Georgians and ethnic Armenians in Ninotsminda, southern Georgia,
on 6 September.

After getting drunk in a restaurant, the chief of the Georgian
State Security Ministry’s local branch, and the deputy head of the
Ninotsminda District council, tried to fill their car up at a local
petrol station for free, saying that Ninotsminda belongs to Georgians
and everything should be free for Georgians.

After they were denied free petrol by an Armenian employee of the
petrol station, the Georgian officials attacked and beat him. The
local police interfered but the fist fight turned into a shooting. As
a result, the Georgian officials were arrested and transported to
Akhalkalaki.