The Georgian Public Defender’s Office said on Thursday that it had launched studying a fistfight incident in the village of Mereti of Shida Kartli region, which thwarted a campaign meeting of Georgian Dream leader Bidzina Ivanishvili with locals on June 26.

The Public Defender’s Office (PDO) said in a statement, that reason behind the decision to study the case was video footage aired by the media outlets, showing that “persons, who were involved in the incident are public servants, including employees of Gori local self-government body and emergency situations service of the Shida Kartli” region.

Georgian Dream leader, Bidzina Ivanishvili, said that the incident was provoked by the authorities and also accused the Interior Ministry, saying that employees of emergency situations department, under the ministry’s subordination, were also involved. The Interior Ministry said there were no ministry employees involved.

Four men – two of them Georgian Dream activists – have been arrested and jailed for ten days for a fistfight incident in Mereti.

“According to reports, there are no above mentioned public servants among those arrested” in connection to the incident in Mereti, the Public Defender’s Office said.

“We consider that participation of public servants in such a confrontation represents a behavior, at least, inappropriate for a public servant. In the process of studying the case we will identify an alleged wrongdoing committed by them,” PDO said, adding that results of its probe will be sent to the prosecutor’s office for further investigation.