Georgian Police Cordon Off Parliament Building To Prevent Opposition Rally

TBILISI -- Dozens of opposition activists have gathered in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, but were unable to rally in front of the parliament building as planned after police cordoned off the site.

The rallies in Tbilisi have been held for two weeks, with activists calling for reforms to the country's electoral system, which opposition parties say unfairly favors the ruling Georgian Dream party.

The rally on November 28 dispersed after a few hours, but the protesters said they plan new demonstrations when the lawmakers return to parliament the following day.

The protesters had planned to prevent lawmakers from entering parliament for the November 28 session, but police installed steel fences around the parliament building overnight and hundreds of officers guarded the site in downtown Tbilisi.

The United States and the European Union have called on the Georgian government, political parties, and civil society to engage in a "calm and respectful dialogue."

With reporting by Reuters