Ultranationalist Georgian March Holds Anti-Soros Protest Rally

Georgia’s most radical ultranationalist group - the Georgian March, known for their xenophobic and homophobic demonstrations and protest rallies, held another demonstration in Tbilisi against Open Society Foundations (OSF), an international network offering grants, founded by business magnate George Soros. 

Georgia’s media outlet Netgazeti reports that protesters marched from the territory adjacent to the Rustaveli metro station to the office of the Open Society Georgia Foundation Georgia and burnt George Soros's effigy.

The demonstrators requested that the foundation stop financing projects of Georgian Non-Governmental Organizations, except the projects that take care of cultural monuments and are aimed at their restoration.

The Soros-based foundation has spent more than $80 million in Georgia since 2014 to implement various programs. Among them are restoration of churches and frescoes, including the famous fresco of Kintsvisi angel, David Gareji paintings and so on.

Currently, the Foundation has several programs in the fields of human rights, public health, media, euro-integration and others.

Georgian March has held other rallies, too, against the Soros Foundation. Nationalist forces held a rally in September 2017, demanding the banning of the Soros foundation in Georgia.

The representatives of the ultranationalist group claim they will not stop the protest until their demands are met.

By Thea Morrison

Photo source: Netgazeti