Georgian far right vows to shut down upcoming LGBT parade

LGBT Pride Week will be held in Tbilisi from 18-23 June and is organized by Tbilisi Pride.

Preparations for the event have already begun, and a preliminary programme of events has been released.

However, many have reacted to the news with indignation – the ultra-right has promised it will not allow a gay parade to be held in Tbilisi.

“We are not going to hide because living like that is unbearable.”

The event organizers say that four events will be held in Tbilisi.

1) A production of Franz Kafka’s Transformation;

2) An international conference on the situation of LGBT individuals in Georgia and the policy of the authorities in this matter;

3) A ‘March of Dignity’, which will be held on 23 June. “It will not take the form of a holiday nor of a carnival because we are not in the mood for a celebration now,” reads the organization’s statement;

4) A closed ‘Pride Party’ to end the week.

Tbilisi Pride says the security of event participants will be managed by state security departments and the authorities.

The response of the far-right: “We will not allow the propaganda of debauchery.”

Immediately after news about the pride parade was announced, the ultra-right made statements that they would not allow a “gay parade” to be held in Georgia.

The leader of the Georgian March organization Sandro Bregadze appealed to LGBT activists to “refrain from homosexual propaganda”.

He says that if the police will protect the participants of the parade, a member of the “march” will deal with them “as our ancestors dealt with traitors.”

Source: Jam News