[Blog/Commentary] [USA] Gang of 10,000 attacks 50 LGBT activists in the country of Georgia

[Stephanie Stevens]

Daily Kos, USA


Thu May 23, 2013 at 04:00 PM PDT

Gang of 10,000 attacks 50 LGBT activists in the country of Georgia

by rserven <http://www.dailykos.com/user/rserven> for LGBT Kos
Community <http://www.dailykos.com/blog/LGBT%20Kos%20Community>


I was preparing a report on the new study from the Agency for
Fundamental Rights (FRA) on LGBT rights in Europe. But something kept
impinging.

ILGA-Europe released its own annual report last Thursday
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22563843> , which found
"little legislative progress towards protecting LGBTI [Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual and Intersex people] from
discrimination in accessing goods and services". The ILGA survey
especially noted the hostility gay people encounter in former Soviet
states like Russia and Georgia when they try to demonstrate publicly.

And, by golly, just like that we had an illustrative example.

The next day approximately 10,000 anti-gay protesters in Tbilisi,
Georgia stormed police barricades
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22571216> to attack several
dozen gay activists who tried to mark the occasion of IDAHOT. Police
eventually bussed the 50 or so gay activists out of the city center to
avoid further violence. The precipitating cause for this event were
comments by Patriarch Ilia II of the Georgian Orthodox Church, who
called on the government to ban the anti-homophobia rally, saying it
was a "violation of the majority's rights" and an "insult" to the
nation. Ilia II described homosexuality as a disease comparable to
drug addiction.

The ILGA-Europe report is Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation
of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People in Europe 2013
<https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15245131/2013.pdf> . ILGA-Europe
spokespeople told the BBC " it regretted that a comprehensive EU
Anti-Discrimination Directive drafted by the European Commission in
2008 had yet to be approved by EU leaders." I'll report more on the
ILGA-Europe report over the weekend, unless someone else wants a shot
at it.

Included in the ILGA report was the following Rainbow Map of Europe
2013, which measures the level of respect of the human rights and
dignity of LGBTI people.

[Image: <http://bit.ly/16eerXa> Map]

Probably the 21% ranking of Georgia will decrease for the 2014 map.

All of the people interviewed by the BBC at the riot said the
patriarch's words had been the inspiration for their attendance.

We won't allow these sick people to hold gay parades in our
country, It's against our traditions and morals.

--one woman holding a bunch of stinging nettles

Georgia's human rights ombudsman, Uchi Nanuashvili, called the events
deplorable.

Georgia is hoping to join the EU. If Georgia's authorities are unable
or unwilling to protect minority people and guarantee their safety, I
would hope that their application would be severely damaged.

On the evening of the violence, Patriarch Ilia II appeared on
television <http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=26071> .

We distance from violence.

--Ilia II

I don't think he should be the one to decide that.

We should know that this is a sin before the god. We can express
our sorrow without interfering in anyone’s private life.

I hope that everything will be calmed down. I call on our people
on all sides to go from streets and return back homes and to pray for
each other.

--Ilia II

Other sources were not as conciliatory.

What happened today was the order coming from the nation.

You know very well that the United National Movement required two
and a half months to gather five thousand people [for its April 19
rally] and then boasting: ‘how many people we gathered’. Today people
came into [streets] on their own initiative... Several millions would
have come [into the streets] if needed.

--Bishop Jakob, senior cleric

Oh, we have an update. Georgian police have arrested four men
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/22/world/europe/4-held-in-attack-on-georgia-gay-rights-advocates.html?_r=0>
for their part in the demonstration. They have been arrested on
charges of hooliganisn and disobeying police orders and face up to 90
days in prison.


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