Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

That brings our coverage of the fourth night of protests in Tbilisi to a close.

It is now well into the night in the Georgian capital, but tens of thousands of protesters are still making their voices heard, in a din of whistles, hooting horns and fireworks.

The protesters, backed by the opposition and president in Georgia, believe the government of this country bordering Russia is trying to take away their future as part of the European Union.

The government denies that, but it was the prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, who triggered this new series of mass protests when he said the issue of joining the EU would be off the agenda for the next four years.

As one young protester called Tamusa said today: “When a government goes against the constitution it’s undeniable that people will protest. We need the world to recognise us and see what is happening here.”

We're ending our live coverage for this evening, but you can still get updates on this story elsewhere on the BBC.

Tonight marked the fourth successive evening of protests in Georgia, after the country's governing party announced they would be suspending accession talks with the European Union until 2028.

(Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has since denied making those comments - but as our correspondent Steve Rosenberg reports, his remarks were recorded on camera).

We've been following the protests over the last couple of hours. Here are the key points you need to know this evening.

• We've seen footage of fireworks launched by protesters andwater cannon fired by police tonight - features of protests on previous nights in Georgia
• Some in Tbilisi tell the BBC the government is a "circus", and one says he will keep returning to protest "until the new year"

• Yesterday, President Salome Zourabichvili said she will not step down from her post as anticipated this month until new parliamentary elections are held, and called the current parliament "illegitimate"
• Georgian Dream, the county's ruling party, has denied allegations of voting irregularities
• Elsewhere, Russia has not formally commented on the unrest in Georgia, but former president Dmitry Medvedev wrote on Telegram that an "attempted revolution" was taking place in Georgia

Image source, Reuters

We've been reporting this evening on stand-offs between protesters and riot police in Tbilisi - it's a night that has seen fireworks launched at the parliament building and officers responding by directing a water cannon into the crowd.

In the clip below you can see some of the protesters setting off fireworks that are aimed towards the building.

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

It’s now close to 02:00 (22:00 GMT) in Tbilisi and the crowds are still big on the main avenue outside parliament. Many of the protesters have come equipped with gas masks or helmets, prepared for riot police to try to make them disperse.

So far that hasn’t happened tonight, although at one point police sprayed water cannon to move protesters away from the parliament building.

It’s up the side streets and alleys alongside parliament where things feel more menacing.

At the end of every street that leads to the building dozens of riot police have set up a cordon. In some spots near by clusters of young Georgians stand, most of them wearing masks.

“If they come after us we’ll just run off into the crowd,” says Nika, a 19-year-old student, who is standing with six of his friends. “If they catch you they’ll put you in jail or I don’t know what.”

Riot police have been widely criticised for violence since the protests began, targeting TV reporters as well as protesters.

So far tonight, they have held back.

Steve Rosenberg
BBC Russia editor

I've been speaking with protesters outside the parliament building in Tbilisi - an area where both fireworks continue to be thrown and the police are still directing the water cannon into the crowd.

Nikoloz says it's "great" that so many people are here.

"It gives me hope that this government will finally go away and give us peace that we deserve," he tells me.

"It’s not scary – they’re just spraying us with water. We have gas masks. We’ve been through this so many times. We’ve seen everything. There’s nothing to be scared of."

Tinatin, meanwhile, explains that she's here because she feels her vote has been "stole[n]".

Aged 72, she says she has never seen "such a bad government as now".

"It’s a circus. It’s not a government, it’s a mafia!

"I’m not frightened. I think it’ll be okay because the young people are angry too. They will win."

Image source, Reuters

Many of the protesters out on the streets in Tbilisi have expressed the view that the current Georgian government is under the influence of Moscow.

The Kremlin is yet to formally comment on the events in Georgia - but a little earlier we heard from former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

Writing on Telegram, Medvedev, who is now the deputy chairman of the Russian Federation's National Security Council, said an "attempted revolution" was taking place in Georgia, Reuters reports.

Medvedev also appeared to allude to tensions in the past that emerged between Russia and Ukraine over the EU.

Georgia was "moving rapidly along the Ukrainian path," Medvedev said, adding: "Usually this sort of thing ends very badly".

An announcement that the government would suspend talks to join the European Union prompted protests in Georgia, where the goal of joining the EU is enshrined in the country's constitution.

Several ambassadors have resigned and hundreds of civil servants - along with 2,800 teachers - have signed letters condemning it.

But Irakli Kobakhidze, the country's prime minister, says: "We have not suspended anything, it's a lie".

Parliamentary elections were held in October, but they have been contested and denounced as rigged by opposition parties.

Georgia's pro-Western president, Salome Zourabichvili - who has said she will remain in her position, even though she is due to step down this month - has been rallying protesters against the government and calling for a new vote.

Georgia's President Salome Zourabichvili has suggested that the Georgian Dream party did not expect "this kind of public reaction", external, according to Georgian news agency Interpress News.

The agency reports on comments Zourabichvili made at a briefing today - where she pointed to the dissent around the prime minister's decision to suspend accession talks with the European Union until 2028.

"This is the future that Georgia is refusing today on the street, as well as in all other institutions," Interpass quotes her as saying.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

The results of Georgia's election in October came under scrutiny after two US pollsters commissioned to carry out exit polls for opposition TV channels said there were discrepancies in the vote.

Georgia's Central Election Commission showed the Georgian Dream party received 53.94% of votes.

Edison Research said there was a 13-point difference between that figure and its own estimate, which couldn't be explained by normal statistical margins and "suggests local-level manipulation of the vote".

A similar assessment from polling company HarrisX revealed a discrepancy of more than 8% of votes - "pointing to possible voting irregularities".

Georgian Dream insists the election was free and fair, although it acknowledges irregularities in "just a couple" of polling stations.

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Protesters have gathered in Tbilisi in front of parliament this evening, setting off fireworks near the building.

Some demonstrators have built a fire on Tbilisi's Rustaveli Avenue. Police have stayed on side streets and are guarding parliament.

Image source, Reuters

Some protesters on the streets in Tbilisi have told Reuters news agency that they're working to "defend" democracy in Georgia.

Nikoloz Miruashvili tells the agency he is protesting for a "simple reason" - to "defend" the country from an allegedly rigged election - a claim the new prime minister denies.

"We've done everything in our power so far to show that we desire a European future," he tells Reuters.

"So right now, we're going to defend ourselves, our country, our people and most importantly our future."

Meanwhile, Lana Lagvilava says protesters are "risking [their] lives" tonight because they want to be part of Europe. We want to be part of development. We want to be part of sustainability and we want to be part of the best life."

Mariam Tskitishvili adds that Georgia "deserves to be free from the Russian regime that has haunted us for many centuries".

Earlier, our correspondent Steve Rosenberg reported that people are shielding themselves with umbrellas as police fire water cannon from the steps of parliament.

We can now bring you footage of the standoff between police and protesters.

A little earlier, our colleagues on the news channel spoke with Georgian human rights lawyer Baia Pataraia.

She describes the recent decision to suspend EU talks as the "last drop" - or final straw - for protesters against the government.

Demonstrations have continued for weeks following a contested election in October, and discontent has grown with the new government.

She tells the BBC that the demonstrations in recent days have been taking place in cities across Georgia - not just Tbilisi.

Asked about the comments from President Salome Zourabichvili describing the current parliament as "illegitimate", Pataraia says she "fully" supports the current president as she was elected legitimately by the public.

The prime minister has rejected allegations of vote-rigging in the election. He also claims he has not suspended EU ascension talks, despite being recorded on camera saying he would.

For human rights lawyer Pataraia, the "only demand" now is a fresh election.

Rayhan Demytrie
reporting from Tbilisi

There is a lot of banging noise at the protest area outside parliament.

This is the sound of the fireworks that protesters are firing at the parliament. Riot police are positioned inside.

Fireworks and lasers have become the "weapons" of resistance for the protesters.

Videos have gone viral of a protester on Saturday night shooting fireworks from what looked like a homemade hand-held launcher.

Image source, Reuters

Over the past few nights, large demonstrations have taken place In Tbilisi, as well as in the cities of Batumi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, among others.

Riot police were deployed around Georgia's parliament last night and officers used tear gas and a water cannon against protesters into the early hours of this morning as they tried to push people away from the building.

Many Georgians have been shocked by the level of violence directed at Georgian journalists and protesters during the demonstrations, with dozens of reporters beaten or pepper sprayed. Some have required hospital treatment.

The country's human rights ombudsman, Levan Ioseliani, called it "brutality" and appealed to police not to abuse their power. Georgia's prime minister said today it was opposition groups and not police that had meted "systemic violence".

A little bit now from the scene in front of Georgia's parliament building in Tbilisi, where protesters are currently congregated. Horns and blowing whistles can be heard in the background.

Fireworks have been aimed at the parliament building this evening - as happened yesterday - while police can be seen using water cannon from the steps out into the crowd. Loud pops from fireworks can be heard, and green lights from laser pointers flicker across the building.

You can watch these scenes live for yourself by clicking "watch live" at the top of this page.

Steve Rosenberg
BBC Russia editor

On this fourth night of protests, there’s a bizarre standoff at the Georgian parliament.

Police inside the building are targeting protesters outside with streams of water, trying to prevent anyone from getting too close.

Some of the protesters have put up umbrellas. Protesters are throwing fireworks at the building, at the jets of water and at police officers who are crouched behind shields.

Rayhan Demytrie
Reporting from Tbilisi

Protesters have formed a line on the stairs of the country's parliament in the capital Tbilisi holding Georgian flags.

Many of them are young and chanting "Sakartvelo" - the name of the country in Georgian.

This is the fourth night of mass protests in the capital but also in other parts of the country, in the cities of Kutaisi, Batumi, Zugdidi, Gori and Khashuri.

Georgians are angry at their government's decision to put EU accession talks on hold for four years.

Earlier on Sunday, the country's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze denied that his government is suspending EU accession negotiations, despite having stated three days ago the talks would not resume before 2028.

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Last night the anti-government protesters succeeded in persuading Georgia’s public broadcaster to have opposition voices on a channel that’s widely seen as a government mouthpiece here.

Tonight they want to get President Salome Zourabichvili on air too. A crowd is waiting expectantly outside the public broadcaster listening to protest speeches.

There were thousands here earlier, but a short while ago they all headed for parliament, blocking the traffic as they chanted “Georgia, Georgia”.

There’s a police station next door but they have not intervened.

Protesters launched fireworks towards riot police in Georgia's capital Tbilisi on Saturday night as demonstrations continued against the government's decision to suspend talks on joining the EU.

Video footage shows hundreds of Georgian opposition supporters in front of the parliament building, as a barrage of fireworks is aimed towards the police.