June 20 demonstrators ‘unleash war’ against Georgian Dream ruling party founder Ivanishvili
The demonstrators have been rallying for up to three months. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The movement Shame, which was created after the June 20 rally dispersal in central Tbilisi, has presented its action plan in a rally on Rustaveli Avenue later today, promising ‘to defeat the authoritarian leadership’ of the founder of the Georgian Dream ruling party Bidzina Ivanishvili.
One of the organisers of the rally Shota Digmelashvili accused Ivanishvili of ‘collaborationism with Russia,’ and stated that the current Georgian Dream leadership will be ‘replaced peacefully’ via the 2020 parliamentary elections.
Demonstrators vowed the current government to be changed peacefully.Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The movement said that for the ‘final victory’:
- We will create and strengthen groups of our activists for them to constantly monitor the servants of Ivanishvili.
- We will ensure a legal service for the people who suffered damages during the rally dispersal.
- We will create a group of consultants to provide support for all those suppressed by the government.
- We will create new media platforms to oppose Ivanishvili’s propagandist media.
- We will start a large-scale campaign to help people make an informed decision on election day.
Ivanishvili had a chance to listen to people, but instead he opposed us and appointed Giorgi Gakharia as the country’s new PM. We remember everything and we do not forgive,” Digmelashvili said.
Georgia's one of top bankers Mamuka Khazaradze, who has just created a civic movement, was present at the rally. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
One of three top demands of the demonstrators was the resignation of former Interior Minister Gakharia whom they accuse of the “brutal dispersal” of the rally which was sparked by the address of the Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov from the seat of the Georgian parliament speaker on June 20, during an international forum.
Gakharia says that the rally became violent due to “irresponsible opposition leaders,” who had plans to storm the parliament building and place the state security at risk.
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.
The protesters are leaving the demonstration in front of the parliament of Georgia in central Tbilisi as the law enforcers have used tear gas and rubber bullets. The number of injured is not officially announced yet, but Georgian media reports a dozen of people have been damaged.
Georgian opposition MPs have interrupted the 26th Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) after a Russian MP and president of the assembly, Sergey Gavrilov addressed the audience from the Georgian parliamentary speaker’s chair earlier today.
Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been charged with several alleged offences in Georgia, says that the current Georgian government was on the verge of being overthrown in June 2019, when police used water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse a rally in central Tbilisi.
A peaceful demonstration will be held in front of the parliament of Georgia in downtown Tbilisi later today, one year after the June 20 protest, triggered by the presence of Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov in the Georgian parliament. Calling on citizens to join them at 7pm today, the organisers of the rally said they will follow all of the recommendations of the World Health Organisation.