In Georgia, a mob of demonstrators stormed past police, tore down rainbow flags, and lit fires, disrupting a pride festival.
On Saturday, approximately 2,000 anti-LGBT+ demonstrators stormed a pride event in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, setting fires, fighting with police, and destroying rainbow flags.
As participants were evacuated for their safety, the diversity festival was canceled.
According to Georgian media, approximately 5,000 demonstrators marched toward the lakeside park where the event was held. Many of them carried religious symbols and brandished Georgian flags.
In Georgia, LGBT+ rights are protected by law, but pervasive discrimination persists in this socially conservative, predominantly Orthodox nation.
Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, deputy interior minister of Georgia, stated that police attempted to halt the demonstrators but were unable to do so.
However, the event coordinators accused the authorities of collaborating with the protesters to disrupt the festival.
Mariam Kvaratskhelia told Reuters that far-right groups incited violence against LGBT+ activists in the days preceding the pride festival and that neither the police nor the government conducted an investigation.
She stated, “I do not doubt that this [disruption] was a pre-planned, coordinated operation between the government and the radical groups.”
We believe this operation was planned to undermine Georgia’s EU candidature.
Georgia aspires to enter the European Union, but its ruling Georgian Dream party has been criticized by rights groups and the EU for its perceived authoritarian drift.
The authorities and government did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters regarding Ms. Kvaratskhelia’s allegations.
President Salome Zourabichvili, a frequent government critic, also blasted the police for breaching people’s freedom to gather.
No one was injured as a result of the incident. Mr. Darakhvelidze stated that police are currently “taking steps to stabilize the situation.”
