The organisers of a Pride march in Georgia have cancelled a planned LGBTQ rights protest after far-right thugs stormed their headquarters and attacked journalists.
Video footage showed men breaking into the offices of Tbilisi Pride, and tearing down a rainbow flag from the balcony.
Videos by VICE
The incident comes during a climate of increased hostility surrounding LGBTQ rights in some European countries, particularly after Hungary passed a new law banning the “promotion” of homosexuality or gender change via school materials or kids’ TV.
Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said police had been deployed to an anti-LGBTQ protest, and that journalists trying to cover the march were attacked by demonstrators. Dozens of reporters are thought to have been attacked, with photos posted online showing the injuries they sustained.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili appeared to suggest that the Pride celebrations and protests were to blame for the violence, saying that the “majority” of people were opposed to the event and that it risked creating “civil confrontation.”
Tbilisi Pride’s director, Giorgi Tabagari, called this a “shameful statement.”
The city’s Pride organisers also said the government had not provided enough police protection for the event to go ahead, despite numerous meetings on the subject.
“The ongoing actions of the government have shown yet again that they are not willing to fulfil their direct responsibilities. Inaction by the government has placed the health and lives of the citizens of Georgia under real danger,” Tbilisi Pride said in a statement.
Since 2012, it has been illegal in Georgia to discriminate on the basis of sexuality. However, partly due to the prominent role played in society by the Eastern Orthodox Church, homosexuality is far from accepted in the former Soviet country.
The violence in Tbilisi was condemned in a joint statement signed by the embassies of the US, the UK, and a number of EU countries including France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
“Participation in peaceful gatherings is a human right guaranteed by Georgia’s Constitution. Violence is simply unacceptable and cannot be excused,” the statement said. “We call on all Georgia’s leaders and law enforcement to act swiftly to protect those exercising their Constitutional rights to freedom of expression and assembly, to protect journalists exercising freedom of the press, and to publicly condemn violence.”
The European Pride Organisers Association wrote on Twitter: “Appalling scenes in Tbilisi today, when the March of Dignity was due to take place. The @TbilisiPride office has been occupied, journalists, photographers and LGBTI+ community members have been attacked. We join the growing calls for action from the authorities.”
