Tbilisi Pride

Last updated
Tbilisi Pride
Genre Pride parade
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s) Tbilisi, Georgia
Years active2019-present

Tbilisi Pride is an annual LGBT week-long event and Pride parade held since 2019 in Tbilisi, Georgia. The event has faced multiple threats and counter protests since its inception, most notably in 2021 and 2023.

History

Tbilisi Pride was founded by Georgian LGBT activist Giorgi Tabagari. [1]

In February 2019, organizers announced they planned to hold Tbilisi Pride from 18–23 June 2019, with a "March for Dignity" on 22 June. [2] [3] [4] Other events would include a conference and a play. [5] Conservative Georgians reacted negatively to the announcement of the event, and responded with threats, and the Georgian Orthodox Church released a statement condemning the planned event. [2] [6] In turn, Tbilisi Pride organizers called on authorities to investigate the threats and ensure attendees' safety. [2] This demand was also echoed by Georgian NGOs. [7]

On 14 June, LGBT activists gathered in front of a government building to bring attention to their demands. [2] [6] The group was counter-protested by anti-LGBT individuals, including several Orthodox priests; 28 counter protesters were detained. [2] [5] [6] On 17 June, the Georgian Interior Ministry denied the organizers permission to hold the events, due to "security threats". [4]

In light of these events, and ongoing political protests against Sergei Gavrilov, organizers postponed the March for Dignity to July 2019. [3] [8] After initially telling journalists the event had been cancelled, a small parade of about two dozen marchers was held on 8 July without incident. [3] The parade was held for only half an hour, and dispersed after reports that extremist groups were gathering to confront the marchers. [3]

The event was criticized by some Georgian LGBT individuals, who said that it was not organized by the local LGBT community, and would incite more violence against the community. [9]

In 2021, Tbilisi Pride was launched on 1 July, with the March for Dignity planned for 5 July. [10] The parade was called off after the organizers' office and the parade route were attacked by violent counter-protesters. [10] Fifty journalists covering the events were attacked, [10] as the media had been largely sympathetic to Tbilisi Pride in the lead up to the event. [1] Event organizers criticized authorities for not responding to threats which had been made in the month before the event, [1] and Amnesty International criticized authorities' failure to protect attendees and journalists. [11]

The 2023 attack on the parade 2023 attack on Tbilisi pride..jpg
The 2023 attack on the parade

In 2022, Tbilisi Pride was held from 28 June to 2 July without a March for Dignity or other public events, due to security concerns. [12] Instead, events included film screenings, a conference, and a festival in a private venue. [13] Twenty-six right-wing counter-protesters were arrested at a counter-rally during the week of events. [13]

The event was attacked again in 2023, during a closed festival event on 8 July. [14] [15] Hundreds of counter-protesters, whom the police did not or were unable to restrain, vandalized the event's setup and burned Pride flags. [14] [15] Organizers called off the event, and all participants were safely evacuated. [14]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 attack on Tbilisi Pride</span> Violent anti-LGBT counter-demonstration in Tbilisi, Georgia

The 2023 attack on Tbilisi Pride was a violent counter-demonstration and protest held by far-right, nationalist and ultranationalist groups against Tbilisi Pride, a LGBT festival in Tbilisi, Georgia. Tbilisi Pride started their week-long series of events on July 1, with plans to hold their "March for Dignity" on July 8 at 12 pm at Lisi Lake. Many Far-right, Nationalist, Ultranationalist and Fascist groups posted on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook that a counter-demonstration was planned against the pride event, violent threats were made against the pride event and the planners before the event took place.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ashton-Cirillo, Sarah (11 July 2022). "A year after anti-LGBTQ terrorist attack, Tbilisi Pride looks ahead". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Lomsadze, Giorgi (17 June 2019). "Anti-gay militia plans to thwart Tbilisi Pride". Eurasianet.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Small LGBT Pride Rally Held In Tbilisi". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Turmoil around Tbilisi Pride continues, LGBT march date kept confidential". Agenda.ge. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  5. 1 2 Cooper, Alex (19 June 2019). "Organizers of Georgia's first Pride defiant amid threats of violence". www.washingtonblade.com. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 "Georgian LGBT Activists Face Off With Conservative Opponents". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "Statement by non-governmental organisations on the 14 and 16 June events". საერთაშორისო გამჭვირვალობა - საქართველო (in Georgian). Transparency International. 18 June 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  8. ↑ Lavers, Michael K. (23 June 2019). "Georgia's first Pride parade postponed". Washington Blade . Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Ptskialadze, Giorgi (18 June 2019). "Opinion | I'm queer and I'm against Tbilisi Pride. Here's why". OC Media . Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 "LGBT+ campaigners in Georgia call off pride march after office attack". Reuters . 6 July 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Georgia: Police totally failed the Tbilisi Pride participants". Amnesty International. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "Deputy Interior Minister says law enforcement will "prevent violence" after right-wing organisers call for disruption of Tbilisi Pride Week". Agenda.ge. 2 June 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Police arrest 26 at rally against Tbilisi Pride Week". Agenda.ge. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 "A mob storms Tbilisi Pride Fest site, forcing the event's cancellation". AP News. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  15. 1 2 Kennedy, Niamh (8 July 2023). "Tbilisi Pride festival canceled after violent anti-LGBTQ protests". CNN. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
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