Several dozen people marched in the Georgian capital to mark International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOTB), despite fears of potential clashes with opponents.

One of the LGBT demonstrations took place near the Prime Minister's office, where several people held signs and chanted against homophobia.

As LGBT supporters rallied, other Georgians marched in support of the Church’s call for a rally on the “day of sanctity and strength of the family.”

Neo-Nazis gathered in Tbilisi on May 17 to oppose International Day against Homophobia,Transphobia, and Biphobia, and several minor clashes were observed by local media, but no major incidents were reported.

The police interfered only after the march of Georgian Power, an overtly neo-Nazi bunch of youth, went sour, seeing them attack Turkish cafes and restaurants and passersby dressed in Muslim apparel. Some radical nationalistic and neo-Nazi groups, including the "Dinamo Tbilisi Ultras,| radicalized football fans, also attended the demonstration, meeting  at Metro Rustaveli and marching down to Aghmashenebeli Avenue, a place featuring many non-European cafes.

The demonstrators, some of them wearing masks, damaged several Turkish cafes, yelling ‘Glory to the nation, death to the enemy.’ There were small fights with owners of some Turkish restaurants, however, only after the attacks became harsh- during which a traditional head-covering was torn off at least one Muslim woman, did the police start detentions. Reklama: Banerių kūrimas

“Participants of the demonstration were particularly aggressive. They insulted citizens and damaged trading properties and cafes, and damaged restaurant banners and signboards,” a statement published by the Interior Ministry noted.

A total of 11 demonsrators were arrested.

Georgia is ranked as the world's third most homophobic country in the World Value Survey, with some 93% of Georgians saying they would be against the idea of having a gay neighbor.

By Shawn Wayne

Photo by RFE/RL

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