A Gay Pride festival in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, was marred by the actions of up to 2,000 anti-LGBT protesters who forcefully interrupted the event on Saturday. Clashes with the police ensued, and props such as rainbow flags and placards were destroyed, though no injuries were reported.
Organizers of the festival accused the authorities of actively collaborating with the demonstrators to disrupt the event. In response, a government minister cited the challenges of policing an open area near a lake as the reason for the difficulty in maintaining order.
Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Darakhvelidze assured reporters that all Pride participants and organizers were safely evacuated, emphasizing that no harm was inflicted during the incident. Police are currently working to restore stability in the area.
The director of Tbilisi Pride criticized the authorities for their handling of the event, noting that it had been held privately for the second consecutive year to mitigate the risk of violent protests. She revealed that far-right groups had openly incited violence against LGBT+ activists in the days leading up to the Pride events, but the police and interior ministry declined to investigate.
President Salome Zourabichvili, a frequent critic of the government, joined in the criticism of the police, stating that they had failed in their duty to ensure the safety of people’s right to assemble.
While Georgia aspires to join the European Union, its ruling Georgian Dream Party has faced increasing scrutiny from rights groups and the EU for what is perceived as a drift towards authoritarianism.
Although Georgia has enacted laws against discrimination and hate crimes, LGBT+ rights groups highlight the lack of adequate protection provided by law enforcement officials and the prevailing homophobia in the socially conservative South Caucasus nation.
Notably, two years ago, several journalists were assaulted during attacks on LGBT+ activists in Tbilisi. Tragically, one of the journalists, cameraman Alexander Lashkarava, was later found dead at his home, sparking outraged protests in the Georgian capital.
