Around 2,000 protesters opposing the community disrupted a gay pride festival in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, prompting its cancellation. The right-wing demonstrators, including Orthodox Christian clergy
, clashed with police, stormed the stage, and set fire to rainbow flags. Both event organizers and Georgia’s president attributed the incident to prior anti-LGBT hate speech and criticized the police for failing to
safeguard attendees. Homophobia remains prevalent in Georgia, with President Salome faulting the ruling Georgian Dream party for not condemning followers who openly encouraged aggression against
activists. Interior Minister Alexander contended that the vast event area posed challenges for effective
policing but assured that participants were safely evacuated with no reported injuries.
