Violent Extremists Shut Down Tbilisi Pride [VIDEO]

Politico Europe reports:

Georgia’s annual LGBT+ Pride event was evacuated by the police on Saturday after hundreds of counter-protesters stormed the site. In a statement, organisers of the festival in the capital of Tbilisi announced that they had been forced to shut down the annual festivities after the authorities failed to maintain the perimeter.

“Today’s developments indicate that today’s planned events were pre-coordinated and agreed upon between the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the violent group Alt-Info,” Tbilisi Pride said.

Smoke rose above the site, a field just outside the city, as LGBT+ rainbow flags were burned and right-wing activists danced to traditional Georgian folk music. Attendees had been told to board buses for safety moments before.

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Give the tweets below a minute to fully load. Around 90% of Georgians belong to the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Shocked and saddened to see that despite the planning & preventive measures, @Tbilisipride festival was cancelled due to safety risks for participants. I call on authorities to ensure that all who broke law & aggressively disrupted a peaceful gathering will be brought to justice. pic.twitter.com/6rOsPQqm8n

— Mark Clayton (@MarkClaytonFCDO) July 8, 2023

Sad news: Our event has suffered severe damage. The stage, star wagon, and stands have been damaged. Thieves have also snatched the drinks from our bars and other valuable items.

We desperately need your help Please help out by making a donation. Every contribution matters. pic.twitter.com/tBt6E5zRz1

— Tbilisi Pride (@TbilisiPride) July 8, 2023

“The counter-demonstration was instigated and openly supported … not only by the representative of various branches of the ruling party [Georgian Dream] but also directly by its acting MPs” – said President @Zourabichvili_S in her statement re today’s attack against Pride Fest.

— Tbilisi Pride (@TbilisiPride) July 8, 2023

After the Putinist violent radical groups attacked us, they were neither detained nor removed from the premises. Instead, they continued to party on the festival grounds, with champagne. pic.twitter.com/yCbZ80aSi1

— Tbilisi Pride (@TbilisiPride) July 8, 2023

Georgia today pic.twitter.com/b1k4qZFArC

— Tbilisi Pride (@TbilisiPride) July 8, 2023

Delegation regrets cancellation of @TbilisiPride Festival today. Disappointing to see that security and freedom of assembly could not be ensured. Those calling for violence and perpetrating violence must be brought to justice. pic.twitter.com/aMMs4ZQTEL

— EU Delegation Georgia (@EUinGeorgia) July 8, 2023

UN condemns violence & attacks on #TbilisiPride. We call on authorities to denounce this disturbing incident, to hold those responsible accountable & to take decisive steps to improve protection of the rights to peaceful assembly & expression for all, including LGBTQI+ persons. pic.twitter.com/hYQqVchXwN

— UN in Georgia (@ungeorgia) July 8, 2023

Conservative activists from the Alt-Info movement and other right-wing parties in #Georgia disrupted the #LGBT festival in #Tbilisi

Organizers of Tbilisi Pride urged people not to come to the festival and said that “the attack was pre-arranged by the Interior Ministry and the… pic.twitter.com/tn3xz1bbU6

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 8, 2023

The main event of Tbilisi Pride – supposed to be today – has been cancelled after 3,000 hardcore group of anti-LGBT protestors marched on the event – in a field miles away from the city centre – and police said they could not ensure the safety of the event. pic.twitter.com/eKLfyhdfg0

— Jake Cordell (@JakeCordell) July 8, 2023

Absolutely disgusting scenes coming out of Georgia as Tbilisi Pride was attacked by a mob of 3000. Participants were attacked and many had to be bused to safety. The mob were backed by Russia and the same western NGOs currently trying to attack trans rights in Europe and the US. pic.twitter.com/AgCz3pUVXx

— Scott Cuthbertson (@ScotCuthbertson) July 8, 2023

Supporters of the far right extremist group, Alt Info, have began gathering in Tbilisi ahead of today’s Pride Fest. The group plans to prevent the festival from going ahead, while the police have vowed to protect the festival. pic.twitter.com/LNoKPLcKji

— OC Media (@OCMediaorg) July 8, 2023

Tbilisi Pride was shut down by protestors pic.twitter.com/78jELDy37m

— Ilia Coaching (@IliaCoaching) July 8, 2023

Сначала фестиваль Tbilisi Pride был сорван, потом случился погром…
Грузия, ну и какой Евросоюз вам после этого? С таким отросшим хвостом совковой ментальности ваше место – в пещере, а не в цивилизованном мире. pic.twitter.com/wvqj3R3dKC

— Sasha Sotnik (@sasha_sotnik) July 8, 2023

Despite several arrests along the way, the Police allowed the Russia-linked violent extremists to move from Vazha Pshavela avenue towards Lisi lake where Tbilisi Pride Festival is to be held. The extremists were seeing marching towards the lake accompanied by the Police. The… pic.twitter.com/vVU5UphyIA

— Formula NEWS | English (@FormulaGe) July 8, 2023

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