Tbilisi Pride

Tbilisi Pride is a non-governmental organization in Georgia. It was founded in 2019 and is led by Mariam Kvaratskhelia.

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]

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]