'Violence is unacceptable!'
Georgian president condemns violence during today’s events
President Zurabishvili stated that violence against media representatives and obstruction of professional activities, as well as intrusion into and attacks on the offices of public organisations, are unacceptable. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has released a statement following today's events in the capital city of Tbilisi in which she condemns the violence and persecution of people on the basis of difference of opinion, sexuality or gender identity.
Violence is unacceptable. I condemn today’s events and any form of violence over difference of ideas or gender identity. Everyone has the constitutional right to express their opinion. I call on all to act within the Constitution and not provoke violence through radical actions.
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) July 5, 2021
Zurabishvili stated that violence against media representatives and obstruction of professional activities, as well as intrusion into and attacks on the offices of public organisations, are unacceptable.
I call on everyone to show restraint and the authorities to ensure public order and to prevent any violent acts", said Zurabishvili.
Right wing activists gathered on Rustaveli Avenue this morning to protest the Tbilisi Pride march that was scheduled for 6 p.m. today. They attacked journalists and cameramen on the spot and injured dozens of media representatives. They stormed the office of Tbilisi Pride. Director of Tbilisi Pride Giorgi Tabagari posted a video on his Twitter account, showing the destroyed office.
❗️This is how our office looks like after todays attack. @GovernmentGeo and @MIAofGeorgia failed to protect people and didn't stop aggressive groups to destroy our property..#TbilisiPride21 #Georgia #Pride pic.twitter.com/mLADg7BMgP
— Giorgi Tabagari (@Tabagari) July 5, 2021
Organisers of the Tbilisi Pride march cancelled the event, citing 'shameful' comments by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and 'inaction' from the interior ministry to ensure safety for participants in the face of a right-wing counter-demonstration in the capital.
Twenty-one embassies and international organisations in Georgia have published a joint statement condemning violence in Tbilisi, as well as the 'failure of the government leaders and religious officials' to condemn this violence.
NGOs and opposition politicians have also stated that the inaction of the government and inflammatory statements by Garibashvili regarding the Tbilisi Pride march encouraged violence by right-wing groups against civic activists and media representatives.
Police are investigating an attack on the offices of Tbilisi Pride and the Shame movement.
Georgian TV channel Rustavi 2 will not cover events organised by right-wing groups starting today, amid the violence against journalists at the Tbilisi Pride march counter rally. The TV channel also calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to immediately investigate criminal offences against the employees of the TV station.
A polish journalist has been stabbed on Khetagurovi Street in Tbilisi, reports Formula TV.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says that ‘political interests’ and not the interests of the LGBT community stood behind today's Tbilisi Pride march.
Twenty-one embassies and international organisations in Georgia have published a joint statement condemning violence in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi, as well as the 'failure of the government leaders and religious officials' to condemn this violence.
Director of Tbilisi Pride Giorgi Tabagari says right-wing groups could not have mobilised their forces to disrupt pride events today without support from state.
A Palitranews cameraman who was attacked by right wing activists earlier today has undergone an operation at New Hospitals and is being taken to the med ward at this time. Head of the New Hospitals emergency service Mikheil Beriashvili said that the patient had a head injury and a broken nose.
Eight people have been detained for violence against journalists and attacks on the offices of Tbilisi Pride and the Shame Movement, as well as an explosion at the headquarters of a Tbilisi-based human rights organisations during the Tbilisi Pride counter rally today, the Georgian Interior Ministry reports.
Senaki and Chkhorotskhu Metropolitan Shio Mujiri, who is Patriarch Ilia II’s ‘locum tenens’ has addressed the crowd at Kashveti Church after the violent attacks of the right-wing groups, that the Georgian society will again unite against LGBT activities anytime in the future.
Journalists and media representatives in various regions of Georgia held media solidarity rallies earlier today following the violent attacks against journalists yesterday at the Tbilisi Pride march counter rally by right-wing groups.
Georgian opposition parties have condemned the failure of the Georgian government to adequately respond to violence at yesterday’s Tbilisi Pride counter rally. The Georgian government has issued several statements to the effect, with Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava responded to yesterday’s violent attacks on journalists by right-wing groups and called it shameful.
The US Department of State has called on Georgian leaders and law enforcement ‘to protect the constitutional right to freedom of expression’ following violent attacks against journalists and civic activists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally by right-wing protesters on July 5.
European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi has met with Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava earlier today and expressed gratitude to the parliament of Georgia for returning the EU flag ‘to its place’ after right-wing protesters burnt it earlier on July 6.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has condemned violence against more than 50 journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5 committed by right-wing protesters. He also underlined that all individuals will be identified and all guilty parties will be brought to justice.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan says that the authorities are responsible for providing a peaceful environment for citizens to exercise their constitutional rights, including the right to assembly, the right to freedom of expression and the right for journalists to practice their profession in a safe environment.
Dozens of pro-western Georgian winemakers have condemned homophobia, violence and anti-western attitudes earlier today, following the violent events of July 5-6, where right-wing groups physically and verbally assaulted journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally, removed the EU flag twice from its position in front of parliament and burnt it. The statement of winemakers underscored that the biggest enemy for Georgia is intolerance of minorities, ‘which has had severe consequences for us in the past and will only threaten us with destruction and stagnation in the future,’ the announcement stated.
Over 200 media representatives have called on the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to launch an investigation into the violence against dozens of journalists by right-wing activists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5.
Police have detained two individuals for attacking Formula TV photographer Vakho Kareli while performing his professional duties during the Tbilisi pride counter rally on July 5.