In central Tbilisi, actions turn into clashes

On July 6, actions were held in central Tbilisi in support of victims of the July 5 unrests, and of LGBT opponents. A police cordon was set up between them, but radicals attacked the participants in a silent rally in support of the suffered journalists. Several people were injured.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 1-5, in Tbilisi, activists of the LGBT community held the "LGBT Week", which they planned to end with a “March of Dignity” in the city centre. On July 5, several hundred opponents of the gay parade blocked Rustaveli Avenue and attacked journalists. The organizers of the "March of Dignity" ultimately abandoned the action altogether.

In central Tbilisi, near the building of the Parliament located in Rustaveli Avenue, an action of silence was held in support of those who suffered during the July 5 riots, while opponents of the LGBT community gathered near the Kashveti Church. In Rustaveli Avenue, aggressive groupings tried to break through the police cordon.

One woman-participant in the anti-violence action was injured: she was pelted with stones by a grouping of armed men. She was evacuated on a stretcher by an ambulance team, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reported with reference to the broadcasts of Georgian TV channels.

Opponents of LGBT people issued an ultimatum to the head of the patrol police, demanding that LGBT flags be removed from the rally against violence. If this is not done, they promised to resort to violence, the “Rustavi-2” TV Company has reported.

A series of detentions began after LGBT opponents tried to break through the police cordon and began throwing various articles, including eggs and bottles, the “InterPressNews” has reported.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 6, 2021 at 10:25 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.