Anti-occupation Rally to Resume in front of Parliament

The peaceful demonstration in front of the Parliament of Georgia in central Tbilisi will resume at 7 p.m. today. It will be the 20th day of mass demonstrations in Georgia’s capital. Demonstrators will express protest against the Russian occupation of Georgian territory. Their main demand remains unchanged: resignation of Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia.

The protestors believe that Gakharia is responsible for the raid of the rallies in front of the Parliament on June 20-21.

The organizers of the rally note that today they will be able to take up the previous location of anti-occupation demonstrations. Last night, they could not arrange a demonstration in front of the Parliament as the participants of anti-LGBT rally were occupying the territory, demanding the abolishment of the anti-discrimination law and introducing a law "banning perverted behavior."

The participants of two different rallies - anti-occupation demonstrators and opponents of Tbilisi Pride, spent the whole night on central Rustaveli Avenue.

This morning, the anti-LGBT rally in front of the Parliament building ended. 

As the opponents of Tbilisi Pride explained, they received a blessing from the clergymen not to continue the demonstration on central Rustaveli Avenue at this stage.

The demonstrators left the spot with the assistance of the police.

Related Story: Rally of Tbilisi Pride Opponents Ends

Photo: For Freedom/Facebook

By Ana Dumbadze

09 July 2019 16:24