Police arrest 17 at rally against Tbilisi Pride Week
The arrests followed events earlier on Saturday where 26 individuals in a rally against the Pride Week were arrested by police, and also come after right-wing groups made threats against the LGBTQ+ community’s announced event. Photo: Interpressnews.ge
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Police arrested 17 participants of a right-wing rally against the ongoing Tbilisi Pride Week in the city on Saturday for non-compliance with law enforcement officers, with the development following arrests made earlier during the day.
The Georgian Public Broadcaster said the participants of the rally had gathered near the city’s Mtatsminda Park, a location for a closed event for the Pride Week, in anticipation of the planned event.
Reports said one of the participants of the rally had also attempted to set themselves on fire before law enforcement managed to “neutralise the situation”. The injured individual was taken to hospital.
The arrests followed events earlier on Saturday where 26 individuals in a rally against the Pride Week were arrested by police, and also come after right-wing groups made threats against the LGBTQ+ community’s announced event.
The Interior Ministry said it would ensure safety and freedom of expression and assembly of “each individual” during this year’s event.
Georgia’s Interior Ministry on Saturday issued a call for groups opposing the ongoing Tbilisi Pride Week events to abide by the law, and pledged to ensure public order, safety and freedom of expression and assembly of “each individual”.
Police arrested 26 participants of a right-wing rally against the ongoing Tbilisi Pride Week in Tbilisi on Saturday for “disorderly conduct”.
Georgian Interior Ministry has launched an investigation into threats issued by the right-wing organisation Alt-Info ahead of the planned Tbilisi Pride Week, organised by the LGBTQ+ community and set to start in the capital on Tuesday, Interpressnews reported on Monday.
The safety and freedom of expression and assembly of “each individual” will be protected during the upcoming Tbilisi Pride Week, Georgia’s Interior Ministry announced on Monday.
The United Nations Development Programme issued a joint statement signed by diplomatic representations on Wednesday that welcomed the successful completion of the Tbilisi Pride Week and expressed hope the event would mark a “step forward” in ensuring LGBTQI+ community’s rights.
The Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church and several other religious denominations in the country on Friday claimed Tbilisi Pride, the LGBTQ rights group that organises the annual festival of the same title, was engaged in “changing the cultural code” rather than protecting the rights of sexual minorities, and called for legal changes to address the “propaganda” and “prevent threats” to “civil peace”.