Ministry of Internal Affairs reports on July 5-6 Tbilisi Pride March counter rallies
A large demonstration involving political party figures, activist organisations, Tbilisi Pride organisers and independent citizens started at 8pm local time outside the Parliament of Georgia on July 6, to protest the violence against journalists and storming of Pride organisers' offices the day before. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze has briefed the media and public on recent developments concerning violence at the Tbilisi Pride counter rallies of the past couple of days.
He said that the Ministry of Internal Affairs held a number of meetings with the organisers of Tbilisi Pride as a result of which the ministry took responsibility to provide security at the July 1 public screening of ‘March for Dignity,’ a British documentary film and July 3 events (Queer Fest), however offered Tbilisi Pride organisers an alternative location to hold the July 5 march.
However, they stated that they only wanted to hold a demonstration on Rustaveli Avenue. Despite a number of working meetings, Tbilisi Pride representatives did not change their position", Darakhvelidze said.
He added that the Minister of Internal Affairs met with the diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia on June 30 and alerted them to the fact that in parallel to the March of Dignity a number of counter rallies and various manifestations were planned by 'certain groups' and large-scale confrontation would be inevitable.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Darakhvelidze said that about 650 police officers ensured safety at the July 1 event, while 850 law enforces were mobilised at the July 3 event and both events were held 'without any excesses'.
He said that on July 4 'we once again met the organisers of March for Dignity at the United Nations' office and once again informed them about the planned counter rallies', however the organisers once again refused to move the event to another location.
On July 5 we mobilised about 3,200 police officers as well as Special Purpose Forces from 5 a.m. As we did not know the exact time and location of the March for Dignity we distributed police officers on different locations: Rustaveli Metro, Kashveti church, Dedaena Park, 9 April Park, Tbilisi Concert Hall and other places", Darakhvelidze said.
He noted that the right-wing groups protesting the March for Dignity 'became aggressive and began violent actions'; how they dismantled the tents set up in front of the Parliament of Georgia building, stormed the offices of Tbilisi Pride, Shame Movement and a non-governmental organisation and attacked journalists [53 media representatives in total].
In total 53 journalists were attacked at the counter-rallies. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Darakhvelidze stated that in total seven people have been detained for attacking the journalists, while the investigation is underway on destroying the offices of Tbilisi Pride, Shame Movement and a non-governmental organisation, located on Gakhokidze Street.
It is important to note that the officials from Tbilisi Pride, as well as non-governmental organisations, refused to cooperate with the police during the investigation", Darakhvelidze said.
Darakhvelidze also spoke about the July 6 events and said that about 3,000 police officers were mobilised on spot to ensure the safe environment on two counter-demonstrations.
The police managed to control the masses for about six hours, arrested the aggressive groups and ensured the safety of the protesters", he said.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
He added that 100 people have been detained, of which 68 have been released, while 32 remain in temporary detention.
Darakhvelidze said that the protesters resisted the officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, throwing various items, as a result of which three law enforcers were injured.
Darakhvelidze stated that the Ministry of Internal Affairs condemns any form of violence.
Giorgi Khmaladze, detained for stabbing a Polish journalist on Khetagurovi Street on July 5, will face criminal charges. Prosecutor Giorgi Shaishmelashvili said that Khmaladze has been convicted of robbery in the past, and asked Tbilisi City Court to refuse him bail.
Police have detained four more right-wing activists for attacking journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5.
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.
Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava has visited a Polish citizen in Aladashvili Clinic today who was attacked by activists of a right-wing group during the counter-rally against the Tbilisi Pride march on July 5.
The Georgian authorities and religious representatives have failed to counter homophobic rhetoric, following violent attacks by right-wing groups against civil activists, community members and journalists in central Tbilisi on July 5, a joint statement of the Members of the European Parliament on the cancellation of the Tbilisi Pride march says.
Four individuals have been sentenced to two months pre-trial detention for verbally and physically assaulting employees of TV Pirveli and Mtavari TV on July 5 at the counter-rally against the Tbilisi Pride March.
After six hours of interrogation Guram Palavandishvili, Zurab Makharadze and archpriest Tskipurishvili have left the Tbilisi Main Police Department. All three individuals interrogated today say they did not commit any violence during the counter rally on July 5. Makharadze said that 'if there is pressure from the US ambassador and ambassadors of the European countries' he could not rule out being arrested.