PM Garibashvili: holding Tbilisi Pride march unreasonable, may lead to civic confrontation
PM Irakli Garibashvili has stated that the country’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili stands behind the Tbilisi Pride march. Photo: government of Georgia press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili says that the conduct of the Tbilisi Pride march at 6 p.m. today ‘is not reasonable’ because it may lead to civic confrontation.’
He also stated earlier today that the country’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili and the ‘radical opposition’ are likely standing behind the march and ongoing rallies in central Tbilisi.
They (Saakashvili and the radical opposition) aim to spark tension and destabilisation in the country,” Garibashvili said.
He stated that the country’s Interior Ministry has already offered Tbilisi Pride organisers hold the march at a different location and not on central Rustaveli Avenue.
Individuals protesting the Tbilisi Pride march scheduled for 6 p.m. later today are now gathering in central Tbilisi for a counter rally, following the calls of the Patriarchate and right-wing groups. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Garibashvili said that the rights of all individuals are protected in Georgia that is why the anti-discrimination law has been adopted and the definition of marriage has been specified in the country’s constitution.
I want to say that holding the march is the constitutional right of the people and we understand this. The state has done its utmost to ensure the safety during all their events in previous days. However, the march scheduled today carries risks of civic confrontation because the march is unacceptable by the vast majority of the country’s population. That is why I believe that the conduct of the march on Rustaveli Avenue is not reasonable,” Garibashvili said.
Dozens of protestors against the Tbilisi Pride march have already gathered on Rustaveli Avenue, demolishing opposition tents in front of the parliament set up to protest election-related issues in previous days.
The protestors have accused the opposition of supporting Tbilisi Pride. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Demonstrators have also thrown eggs and bottles at the office of civic movement Sirtskhvilia (shame) which supports the LGBT community.
Leader of Republican Party Leader Khatuna Samnidze has criticized Garibashvili for his statement and said that such statements encourage violence.
The Georgian Patriarchate has reminded demonstrators protesting the Tbilisi Pride march today that their actions ‘must only be peaceful’ after demonstrators demolished tents on Rustaveli Avenue, threw eggs and bottles at several buildings, attacked journalists and broke into the Tbilisi Pride office.
The Georgian Patriarchate says the ‘drastic interference’ of foreign officials ‘in our public and spiritual life’ through supporting Tbilisi Pride events ‘is a matter of severe concern and [is] unacceptable’. The patriarchate has previously called on the members of the European Parliament and diplomats in Georgia to refrain from supporting and encouraging Tbilisi Pride.
Twelve individuals have been detained earlier today for trying to disrupt film screening on the first day of Tbilisi Pride. The Georgian Interior Ministry has released a statement earlier today, promising to ensure the safety measures during the pride by maintaining the rule of law and ensuring the right to the freedom of expression and assembly of each person.
The diplomatic corps and international organisations have express their solidarity with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) individuals 'in support of equality and human rights for everyone in Georgia'.
Individuals protesting the Tbilisi Pride march scheduled for 6 p.m. later today are now gathering in central Tbilisi for a counter rally, following the calls of the Patriarchate and right-wing groups. Both sides say that there might be a clash and urge police to ensure safety. Right-wing activist Guram Palavandishvili has stated that the police may stand by the Tbilisi Pride participants which may irritate the public and spark tension.
Right wing activists who had gathered on Rustaveli Avenue this morning to protest the Tbilisi Pride march scheduled for 6 p.m. later today attacked journalists and cameramen on the spot, injuring dozens of media representatives. Among the injured media representatives there are eight from Rustavi 2, two journalists from TV Pirveli, and employees of On.ge, Tabula, Netgazeti, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and other media outlets.
Organisers of Tbilisi Pride march have announced their cancellation of the event on Monday, citing "shameful" comments by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and "inaction" from the interior ministry on ensuring safety for participants in the face of right-wing counter-demonstration in the capital.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has called on Tbilisi Pride to call off the march scheduled for 6 p.m. today, due to security risks caused by the counter rally of right-wing groups and the patriarchate. Individuals gathered at the counter rally on Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi attacked and insulted journalists and obstructed their professional activities.
A protest rally will be held in front of the parliament building in downtown Tbilisi at 6 p. m. demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili after TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava was found dead earlier today.
Georgian and foreign officials are saddened by news of the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava earlier today.
Following the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava earlier today, 19 NGOs have demanded the immediate resignation of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia Vakhtang Gomelauri, due to ‘the severe consequences of the violence on July 5. TV Pirveli cameraman Lashkarava was attacked on July 5 by Tbilisi Pride counter protesters.