Tbilisi, 18th December
It’s freezing. In the evening, temperatures drop below zero. Rustaveli avenue in front of the Parliament is as packed as the metro at rush hour. It’s the 21st day of protest, and it seems like the whole of Tbilisi has come out, despite the cold, the enraged police that are lined up to get us, and those inside the parliament building who are still refusing to hear us.
I have to admit, three weeks ago I didn’t feel as hopeful. Since the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party “won” the legislative election (Georgia’s President, Salome Zourabichvili, and opposition parties refuse to recognise the validity of the results because of allegations of fraud and ask for a new election, ed.) at the end of October, the number of the people out on the streets was steadily diminishing. On the 25th November, when the parliament held its first session, I expected lots of people to come out in protest. But it was a freezing cold day, it was raining, and actually very few people turned up.
It was really miserable. It really felt like the whole country had just completely given up, and nihilism was taking over. And the government was hoping to capitalise on that nihilism.
Then everything changed on the night of the 28th November. The Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that the government would pause negotiations to join the EU. When I heard the statement, I was in my house doing some renovation, and I felt furious. Being part of the EU is essential for Georgia, because the only alternative to the European path is to be in the Russian orbit. I thought to myself: “Okay, will there be a protest now?”
Literally, not even half an hour later, people started going down to the parliament building. I decided to go as well, though, I have to admit, my expectations were not high at all. But as soon as I got there, I realised it was unlike any protest I’d ever seen before.
Nobody had organised a demonstration, people just assembled there, instinctively almost. People were banging on the metal barricades, booing, shouting and screaming, “leave the government, leave the government!”. One guy started shouting, quite quietly to be honest, “Revolutsia, revolutsia!” (“Revolution, revolution”, ed) Then others joined the chant.Somebody brought a megaphone, and people, ordinary citizens, made really passionate speeches.
As I was listening to them, I anticipated that the reaction from the authorities would be on a different scale. So, I went back to mine, picked up all my gear, tear gas mask, helmet, press stuff, and went back down. And I was right. The crackdown was brutal that night.Police used tear gas, demonstrators were dragged along and beaten to the ground and hundreds were arrested and tortured.
But people now come prepared for brutality. They bring flags and posters, but also huge water bottles– to neutralise the tear gas–, others bring thick industrial gloves –the canisters are really hot when activated– as well as gas masks.
What’s happening now is very different from the mass protests in March (in March 2023 a series of demonstrations took place in opposition to the “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence”, legislation that requires NGOs and media outlets that receive more than 20% of their funding from foreign sources to register as organizations “pursuing the interest of a foreign power”, ed). It’s not just young people. Civil servants are resigning, making statements, people are walking out of their offices. There are IT workers, mothers and teachers all teaming up and joining us on the streets. Today, I saw Barcelona and Real Madrid supporters marching together!
It also goes beyond the capital. There are unprecedented crowds in Batumi, even small towns and villages are joining in, which is very rare.
For over two weeks now I have spent every night in the same place, I’ve been sleep deprived and scared that myself or my friends would end up in prison. But I am also incredibly proud of Georgian people who keep going out there, and they won’t stop until they are heard. We won’t stop until we’re heard and new elections are announced.
