Tskaltubo District Court has released eight anti-Namakhvani protesters today arrested over administrative offenses after a skirmish between protesters and police in Gumati village last night.

The detentions followed a clash as protesters attempted to cross over iron fences but the police did not let them.

The next trial rescheduled for June 4 after defense lawyers asked for more time to get acquainted with additional evidence presented by the investigation agency.

The case is being investigated under Articles 166 (petty hooliganism) and 173 (disobeying the police) of the Administrative Code.

Anti-Namakhvani HPP protest leader Varlam Goletiani said that the society would gather every evening in Gumati village to make noise and try to cross the police-erected iron wall to move towards the construction site.

The protests against the HPP construction have been underway in western Georgia for almost six months. The Georgian suspended the HPP construction for 9 to 12 months until the environmental, geological, and seismological surveys are reviewed. Nevertheless, local protesters plan to continue rallies. They believe the HPP would be constructed anyway, which they oppose.