2023 attack on Tbilisi Pride

The 2023 attack on Tbilisi Pride (Georgian: 2023 წლის თავდასხმა თბილისის პრაიდზე) was a violent counter-demonstration and protest held by the Far-right, Nationalist and Ultranationalist groups against LGBT festival in Tbilisi, Georgia.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] On July 1, a pro-LGBT group called "Tbilisi Pride" started the "Tbilisi Pride week", the parade was planned on July 8 at 12 pm at Lisi Lake. Many Far-right, Nationalist, Ultranationalist and Fascist groups posted on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook that a counter-demonstration was planned against the pride event, violent threats were made against the pride event and the planners before the event took place.

2023 attack on Tbilisi Pride
Far-right, Ultranationalist and other Georgian anti-LGBT protesters marching with flags.
DateJuly 8, 2023
12 pm – 4 pm
Location
Lisi Lake, Saburtalo District, Tbilisi, Georgia (country)
Caused byUltranationalist and anti-LGBT reaction to an attempt to hold a Pride Parade
Resulted inPride parade being cancelled and paraders being evacuated.
Casualties
Arrestedseveral hundred
DamageProperty damage, fire was started which caused some property damage outside and inside the park, parade stage was destroyed, bar and restaurant was looted.

On July 8, protesters gathered in Saburtalo District in Tbilisi at 1pm to block roads and march to Lisi Lake. They passed through Nutsubidze Plato II, III, and IV micro districts. Police forces met them with fences and barbed wire. The protesters clashed with police forces, which resulted in several arrests of anti-LGBT and far-right demonstrators. The far-right groups broke barricades and entered the festival venue. Deputy interior minister Alexander Darakhvelidze stated that no one was harmed during the incident, and that the police evacuated the organizers of pride parade from Lisi lake by bus. Tbilisi Pride announced the parade was cancelled due to the danger of anti-LGBT protesters.[10]

Background and planning

In June, the Tbilisi Pride organisation started planning a pride festival and parade which was to be held in and around Lisi Lake and its park. Several announcements were posted on July 7 on Tbilisi Pride's social media platforms like Twitter[11] Instagram[12] and Facebook.[13] It was announced that kids would also be allowed to attend the festival. Many right-wing groups (especially on Instagram) made announcements that thousands of people who were against the festival would show up near Nutsubidze Plato and would march and stop the festival at Lisi lake. They said that propagandistic parades undermine Georgia's traditions and its Christian faith and should not be allowed to be held. Many local and national TV channels were reporting on the situation.

The march, July 8

On July 8, at approximately 1pm protesters gathered at the southern sides roads Saburtalo District in Tbilisi and blocked the roads, some other smaller groups gathered in ahead at the Nutsubidze Plato II micro district where the main road which leads to Lisi Lake is located. The march to Lisi lake began soon after at 1:30 and passed through Nutsubidze Plato II, III and IV micro districts. The anti-LGBT protesters and demonstrators reached near Lisi lake where police forces met them with fences and barbed wire which were placed to keep the protesters out of the pride parade held in the park beside Lisi lake. The protesters clashed against the police forces who were wearing masks, Bulletproof vests and armed with Batons and Semi-automatic rifles.

Result
Far-right, Ultranationalist and other Georgian anti-LGBT protesters marching with flags at Nutsubidze Plato II micro district.

According to deputy interior minister Alexander Darakhvelidze, "Nobody was harmed during the incident and police are now taking measures to stabilise the situation".[14] The attendees and paraders were safely evacuated from Lisi lake by bus,[15] soon after, Tbilisi Pride announced on social media platforms that the parade was cancelled due to the danger of anti-LGBT protesters stating: "We were compelled to cancel the Pride Fest and evacuate the Fest territory. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia once again neglected to protect us from violent far-right groups and allowed the mobs to prevent us from exercising our freedom of expression & assembly even in private settings". The clashes and protests ended up not harming anyone but caused several arrests of violent anti-LGBT and far right demonstrators who brawled with police and broke the barricades.

See also

References
  1. Kennedy, Niamh (2023-07-08). "Tbilisi Pride festival canceled after violent anti-LGBTQ protests". CNN. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  2. "Civil Georgia | Police Stands by as Far-Right Groups Attack Tbilisi Pride Festival". civil.ge. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  3. "Anti-LGBT protesters break up Pride festival in Georgia". Reuters. 2023-07-08. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  4. "LGBT+ Pride event in Georgia evacuated as far-right protesters storm site". POLITICO. 2023-07-08. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  5. "A mob storms Tbilisi Pride Fest site forcing the event's cancellation". CTVNews. 2023-07-08. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  6. "Tbilisi Pride festival cancelled after right-wing disruptions". UPI. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  7. "A Mob Storms Tbilisi Pride Fest Site, Forcing the Event's Cancellation". usnews.com. 2023.
  8. "Tbilisi Pride: Participants were evacuated from the "Pride Festival" area". Georgia Today. 2023-07-08. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  9. "Tbilisi Pride Event Cancelled After Far-Right Group Storms Festival Grounds". Yahoo News. 2023-07-08. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  10. "Violent Protesters Storm, Disrupt LGBT Pride Festival In Tbilisi". Radio Liberty. 2023-07-08. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  11. Tbilisi Pride [@TbilisiPride] (7 July 2023). "Tomorrow marks the Pride Festival, an indoor event that we have been organizing for the third consecutive year" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. "Login • Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2023-08-03. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  13. "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  14. Kennedy, Niamh (2023-07-08). "Tbilisi Pride festival canceled after violent anti-LGBTQ protests". CNN. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  15. "We were compelled to cancel the Pride Fest and evacuate the Fest territory. @MIAofGeorgia once again neglected to protect us from violent far-right groups and allowed the mobs to prevent us from exercising our freedom of expression & assembly even in private settings". Twitter. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
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