3 months after June 20 rally dispersal: protestors announce demonstration

Three months have passed since the June 20 rally dispersal in central Tbilisi, sparked by the address of Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov from the seat of the Georgian parliament speaker during an international, religious forum. 

• In pictures: Morning of June 20 protests outside Georgian parliament

The movement sirtskhvilia [Geo. Shame), created during the demonstrations which have lasted up to three months, has announced a “large-scale’ rally on Rustaveli Avenue at 7 pm today. 

The demonstrators say that the goal of the rally is to tell the government that ‘we are the country and we are still angry,’ and to present a one-year action plan which will ensure ‘joint and unanimous activities of the civil sector and pro-western forces in the state.”

PM Gakharia repeated that the Georgian police acted to protect the statehood on June 20. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge. 

The movement members said that the nomination of former Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia, ‘who brutally dispersed the rally,” for the premiership was “an insult to the Georgian people.” 

The demonstrators say that the 19 individuals, who have been detained for incitement to violence on June 20, “are innocent” and they must leave prison.  

PM Giorgi Gakharia said that the freedom of expression of the demonstrators will be protected. 

I feel the emotion of the people and feel the moral responsibility for the people who received injuries during the rally. Unfortunately people received injuries as irresponsible political leaders tried to storm the parliament. We were responsible for protecting state institutions,” Gakharia said.

The dispersal saw 305 detained and 240 injured.