Life

LGBTQ+ campaigners call off Pride march in Georgia following violent attack from counter-protestors

By Sam Damshenas

5th July 2021

LGBTQ+ campaigners cancelled their “March for Dignity” Pride event in Georgia after counter-protestors stormed and ransacked their offices in Tbilisi.

According to local reports, several campaigners and journalists were attacked during their rampage, which led to the Tbilisi Pride group accusing the government of failing to protect people’s “fundamental rights”.

Shocking footage posted by the LGBTQ+ activists showed their right-wing opponents scaling their building to reach the balcony, where they tore down rainbow flags and were seen breaking into the office of Tbilisi Pride.

Other footage showed a journalist with blood around his mouth and nose, and another counter-protestor driving towards journalists on a scooter. Police were present, but did nothing to stop the attack.

The “March for Dignity” event was planned to go ahead on Monday in central Tbilisi as part of their five day-long Pride celebrations, which commenced last Thursday despite the church and conservatives claiming the event had no place in Georgia.

The campaigners were forced to cancel their event after their equipment was damaged. In a Facebook statement, organisers said: “We cannot risk human lives and take to the streets, which are full of violent attackers.”

Tamaz Sozashvili, one LGBTQ+ activist, tweeted: “No words can explain my emotions and thoughts right now. This is my working space, my home, my family today. Left alone in the face of gross violence.”

Days before the event, Pride Minister Irakli Garibashvili said in a cabinet meeting that the Pride march is “not reasonable as it creates a threat of civil confrontation”.

Although the government suggested alternative routes for their celebrations, Garibashvili said it would be “unacceptable for a large segment” of Georgia, a conservative country where the Orthodox Church has clashed with Western-leaning governments over progressive policies and social issues.

Giorgi Tabagari, Tbilisi Pride’s director, condemned the prime minister’s claims as “unbelievable” and called his comments “shameful” as well as “highly irresponsible”. In another tweet, he called the attack a “major state failure”.

Tabagari told the AFP news agency that he hoped the Pride march would be of “historic importance and demonstrate that attitudes towards sexual minorities are fortunately transforming in Georgia”.

“We feel growing solidarity from Georgian society and from politicians, but there are still violent homophobic groups,” he said.