Tbilisi: opponents of gay parade demand to release rioters

On December 24, central Tbilisi hosted a march demanding to release until the trial all those arrested within the case of beating up journalists at a protest against the gay parade.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 5, 2021, during riots at protests against the gay parade in Tbilisi, according to the journalists' estimates, dozens of their colleagues were beaten up.

On December 24, traditionalists marched in central Tbilisi towards the Ombudsperson's office demanding to release all those detained for beating journalists at the July 5 protest action. Protesters are sure that there is no need to keep them in custody until the trial.

Shota Martinenko, one of the protesters, has stressed the need to preserve the Georgian identity. According to his story, "a struggle for dignity" is being waged in Georgia, and for this purpose it is necessary to mobilize supporters. He accused the European Union (EU) and the US Embassy to Georgia of financing the LGBT dignity march; and, according to his version, for this reason it is necessary to inflict "blows on their reputation."

Protesters have announced large-scale protests if their demands are not met.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 24, 2021 at 07:46 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.