Anti-occupation rally to continue in Tbilisi after two different rallies ended peacefully yesterday
Two rallies were held at the parliament building yesterday, with different demands. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
Anti-occupation demonstrations will renew for the 20th day today at 7 p.m. with the demand of the resignation of Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharaia, after anti-occupation and anti-LGBT rallies ended peacefully at the parliament building of Tbilisi yesterday.
Demonstrators protesting the Russian occupation of Georgian territory say that today they will be allowed to take the previous location in front of the parliament building as no anti-LGBT rally is scheduled to take place.
The anti-LGBT (l) and anti-occupation rallies on Rustavely yesterday. Photo:Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
They were unable to take the place yesterday as anti-LGBT rally members occupied the site earlier and stayed there until the morning as they were demanding the arrival of Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze and a promise from him that the anti-discrimination law will be annulled.
Talakvadze did not appear to speak with demonstrators.
Members of anti-LGBT movement shoting "Georgia". Video by Agenda.ge.
Minor incidents took place, mostly verbal disputes. However, police managed to ensure peace during the rallies.
Law enforcers formed a wall between the two rallies to prevent incidents.
Anti-LGBT rally took place shortly after the organisers of Tbilisi pride wrote that their march would be held on July 8.
Clerics read prayers at the rally, saying that no LGBT march must take place in Georgia. Video by Agenda.ge.
Later they cancelled the event. However, during the rallies in central Tbilisi several of LGBT supporters came to the headquarters of Georgian Interior Ministry in the outskirts of the city to march.
There was a threat that a clash might have taken place between the members of the two different rallies at parliament, as many opposing Tbilisi Pride said that LGBT supporters were among the demonstrators protesting occupation.
The song at the anti-occupation rally mentions Interior Minister Gakharia, saying that when Georgia receives bullets, Gakharia is happy.
The Tbilisi protests were sparked by Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov who addressed the audience gathered for the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy from the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker in Tbilisi on June 20.
Police dispersed a rally protesting the developments in the Georgian parliament with the use of force the same evening, as groups of demonstrators tried to storm the parliament building.
240 were injured during the dispersal, with two people losing one of their eyes, which why demonstrators are demanding the resignation of Interior Minister Gakharia.
Peaceful demonstrators who have been holding protests in Tbilisi for 19 days already say they will not stop until Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia resigns. Today however they were unable to take up their traditional spot in front of the parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue in downtown Tbilisi as a counter-protest had taken their place.
Police has blocked the road on Rustaveli Avenue to separate two ongoing demonstrations on Rustaveli Avenue, as tensions between an anti-occupation rally and a counter-protest involving clerics and nationalist groups are high in the capital.
Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia gave his second televised explanation about the June 20 rally on Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi. Speaking with Inga Grigolia, the anchor of Tbilisi-based TV Pirveli, Gakharia said the initial protest rally “was not peaceful”.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has provided an explanation of the Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s statements made yesterday that he watched the storm on the Georgian parliament building on June 20 with foreign ambassadors, from the parliament building of Georgia.
Tbilisi Pride, which was scheduled to take place earlier today, has been cancelled “due to increased threats”, as clerics, nationalist groups and their supporters have gathered at different locations in Tbilisi to prevent the march from taking place.