User:AlexandreAssatiani/sandbox/3

Political situation
At the onset of the protests, Georgian Dream (GD) had been the ruling party in Georgia since defeating Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement (UNM) in the 2012 parliamentary election. Though originally coming to power through a coalition government with several other parties (most notably the Republican Party, National Forum, and the Free Democrats), GD solidified its power during the 2016 legislative polls that saw it win a constitutional majority in Parliament (113 out of 150 MPs) without any alliance. Chaired by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a wealthy businessman with financial ties to Russia and considered by some observers an "oligarch", the party's platform formally backed a pro-European Union foreign policy, signing the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in 2014 and reaching a visa liberalization agreement in 2016, although a policy of "strategic patience" towards Russia often received criticism from the opposition. In 2019, Georgian Dream controlled the Government (led by Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze) and Parliament (led by Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze), while the presidency had been won in a controversial 2018 election by Salome Zourabichvili, herself an independent but backed by GD.

The opposition, represented in the 9th Parliament by European Georgia (EG) and UNM, had grown increasingly critical of the GD government since the 2018 presidential election, accusing the ruling party of voter bribery and electoral fraud. After organizing picketing protests on Zourabichvili's inauguration day, at least one opposition high-level figure, former Governor Davit Kirkitadze, was arrested. In February 2019, eight Georgian Dream MPs left the party in protest of its packing of the Supreme Court with controversial justices, while 20 political parties had earlier formed a joint coalition (Strength is in Unity) to advocate for electoral reform ahead of the 2020 parliamentary election. Their top demand was the abolition of majoritarian districts in Parliament and the move to a fully-proportional electoral system, a system that is set to kick in 2024.

Large-scale public demonstrations in Georgia had been seen in 2018, first in response to a law enforcement cover-up in the murder of two teenagers in Tbilisi (known as the Khorava case), and then in protest of the killing of a teenager during an anti-terrorism raid in the Pankisi Valley. In May 2018, thousands of activists led by the White Noise Movement protested drug raids by law enforcement on popular nightclubs in Tbilisi, forcing Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia to apologize and pledge drug reform.

In a National Democratic Institute poll of April 2019, a record-high 46% of respondents indicated that Georgia was headed in "the wrong direction", 56% had a negative opinion of the government's performance, while Parliament's negative rating reached its highest point under the GD leadership (40%). The economy remained one of the top priorities for voters, with an unemployment rate reaching 21% in early 2019.


 * On June 13, 20 opposition parties submitted 200,000 signatures calling on Parliament to amend the constitution and schedule the 2020 elections proportionally (https://civil.ge/archives/308321)

Foreign policy
Georgia's foreign policy had a strong pro-Western orientation since at least 2003, though the country's first steps towards European integration date back to its accession to the Council of Europe in 1999. Following the Rose Revolution and the rise to power of Mikheil Saakashvili, Tbilisi's official policy had been to seek integration into both the European Union and NATO. The Saakashvili administration first oversaw the implementation of the Eastern Partnership and built close ties with Poland and the Baltic states, while Georgian Dream originally continued that policy with the signing of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in 2014, its resulting Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, and reaching a visa liberalization deal with the Schengen Area in 2017. As of 2019, Georgia was involved in military operations in Afghanistan, Mali, and the Central African Republic with NATO and EU forces. In 2018, an amendment was added to the Constitution requiring all public agencies to "work towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration".

The country's largest foreign policy concern was its protracted conflict with Russia, a conflict that started shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union and culminated in 2008 when Russia invaded Georgia and established a military occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Georgian Dream government sought to replace the Saakashvili administration's perceived anti-Russian rhetoric with a policy of "strategic patience" and engaging diplomatically with Moscow. In 2012, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili appointed a Special Representative for Russia, leading to the so-called "Abashidze-Karasin Negotiation Format", while the government promoted economic trade with Russia, with Moscow becoming the largest trading partner of Georgia by June 2019. Despite this approach, Russia increased its hold over Abkhazia and South Ossetia, engaging in "borderization" (installation of barbed wires on administrative boundary lines) and regularly detaining, sometimes killing, Georgian civilians near the conflict lines. Opinion polls showed large disapprovals of the Abashidze-Karasin Format and a majority of the Georgian population viewed Russia as an "enemy" and as its main obstacle on Euro-Atlantic integration.


 * Thomas de Waal identified two large catalysts to the protest: continued anger towards Russia in the context of the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali conflicts, and domestic unhappiness with the GD government due to a feeling that it is out of touch with society, unaccoutable, and arrogant (https://www.rferl.org/a/q-a-tbilisi-violence-was-an-accident-waiting-to-happen-/30013021.html)
 * He caled it an accident waiting to happen

IAO session and parliamentary protest

 * UNM and EG MPs boycotted the parliamentary session on June 20 in protest of the Russian delegation's presence in Tbilisi as part of the IAO (https://civil.ge/archives/309180)
 * When Communist MP Gavrilov (President of the IAO General Assembly) addressed the delegates from the Speaker's seat in Russian, the situation became tense
 * Opposition MPs entered the chamber and blocked the presidium, demanding the departure of the Russian delegation
 * Elene Khoshtaria: 'The Georgian Dream has brought the Russian occupiers in and let them sit in the Speaker’s Chair. This was a slap in the face of the recent Georgian history, [an affront to] April 9, war of Abkhazia, war of Ossetia, Russia’s invasion in our country and Russia’s occupation. if the state does not protect our country from Russian occupants, we will protect at least this hall, and this event will not be held with participation of Russian delegates.'
 * Salome Samadashvili: 'it is our country that needs to be protected from the government, which collaborates with occupants' and then called on protesters to gather at 7PM in front of Parliament to protect dignity. She called on the other delegates to adopt a resolution supporting Georgia's territorial integrity and condemn Russian occupation.
 * Giorgi Kandelaki: 'The meeting will only resume if the Russian participants leave this building. If this is not the case, the meeting will be cancelled and will not take place in the Parliament of Georgia.'
 * Tina Bokuchava: 'Kutsnashvili has trevealed the true face of the Georgian Dream most vividly, which proves it is a Russian Dream.' and called on him to take political responsibility (as head of the Georgian delegation to IAO)
 * Since the morning, civic activists had gathered inside Parliament calling on Kobakhidze's resignation
 * GD immediately called Gavrilov's assuming of the Chair "protocol blunder"
 * The IAO session opened in Avlabari on June 19 and Kobakhidze was present with the Russian delegation
 * Tamar Chughoshvili criticized the event on social media
 * Ivanishvili said he "fully shares the sincere outrage of the Georgian citizens" and called for an immediate suspension of the session
 * Mdinaradze claimed it was a protocol blunder and Gavrilov was not supposed to preside
 * The IAO session was moved out of Parliament
 * Kobakhidze was in Baku and immediately demanded to suspend the session
 * Bakhtadze condemned this
 * President Zourabichvili released a statement questioning Georgia's membership to the IAO: 'What does it even mean? What type of Orthodox ties can we have with the country that has not only occupied our territories, but also fights against religion and Christian norms,” President Zurabishvili stated, noting this is Russia’s attempt “to use religion for political reasons.” “And if indeed is so, why do we join this political game?'
 * This was the 26th General Assembly of IAO, gathering up to 100 delegates from 25 countries. Georgia joined IAO in 2013. The session was scheduledfor June 19-22.
 * Kaladze made a press conference on behalf of GD in which he said: 'The Russian delegation will leave Georgia. Naturally, the conference will not and cannot continue in that manner. Georgia, which is the respected member of the Orthodox world for 17 centuries is using every possible platform for de-occupation of our country, for the interests of our country. it is inadmissible and wrong to hold a forum in the Parliament of Georgia under the chairmanship of a Russian delegate. Today, there is a full consensus in the society and within our team regarding the incident… An outrageous mistake has taken a place that has placed the entire team under a blow. The organizers of the IAO will have to apologize and explain the Georgian society what and why has happened.' (https://civil.ge/archives/309241)
 * On the same day, 15 CSOs (Coalition for Euro-Atlantic Georgia), including TI Georgia, Open Society Georgia Foundation, and the UN Association of Georgia released a statement calling on the government to immediately respond to the "particular intensification in the recent period of the hybrid warfare waged by Russia against Georgia" The statement also said that for years, the state has not been responsing appropriately to the threats coming from Russia. It has often even endorsed proRussian and radical sentiments." (https://civil.ge/archives/309643)
 * Gavrilov was chased from the Parliament by opposition deputies, from his hotel by ordinary citizens, and had to be whisked by Georgian security services to the airport and onto his plane back to Moscow. (https://civil.ge/archives/310329)
 * On Sep 7, Gakharia would admit that the government was aware of the IAO session in Parliament prior but did not discuss its reasonability (https://civil.ge/archives/319373)
 * Opposition MPs, when the break was announced, became radical. Samadashvili gave Gavrilov and the Russiand elegates half an hour to leave the building or be taken out. She said, "f these people are not taken out of the parliament building, we will mobilise the people, and we will bring people not only in front of the parliament, but into the hall itself" (https://jam-news.net/scandal-in-georgian-parliament-russian-mp-speaks-from-parliamentary-speakers-chair/)
 * A cause for scandal was Gavrilov's presence in Abkhazia during the war
 * A first round of protests took place in front of the Radisson where Gavrilov was staying
 * Though Gavrilov denied having taken any part in the war, he did vote in 2008 for the recognition of Abkhazia and SO (https://jam-news.net/who-is-the-russian-orthodox-communist-who-provoked-protests-in-tbilisi/)
 * Gavrilov claimed that 'a number of Georgian MPs apologized to him over the incident' (https://oc-media.org/thousands-clash-with-police-as-protesters-try-to-storm-georgian-parliament/)
 * Kobakhidze opened the IAO session on June 19, stating that "Christianity was not only about faith or a means for saving national identity’, but that ‘Christian traits […] saved Georgia as a state and brought it to where it is today, to freedom’."
 * Upon seeing Gavrilov take a seat, opposition MPs rushed to the tribune during a break and occupied the chair, insisting they would not let Gavrilov return to it
 * The opposition MPs were confronted in the hall by APG MPs Ada Marshania and Emzar Kvitsiani, calling on the opposition to leave and let Gavrilov return to his chair. Kvitsiani was accompanied by guards and said that Gavrilov was pro-Georgian
 * Kutsnashvili was surrounded by activists and he tore up a banner saying "shame on the government"
 * Kutsnashvili later apologized
 * Gavrilov addressed the MPs in Russian from the speaker's seat (https://oc-media.org/russian-mp-s-appearance-in-georgian-parliament-sparks-protests-across-georgia/)
 * MPs from the European Georgia and United National Movement parties occupied the tribune of the Georgian Parliament on Thursday to prevent Gavrilov from returning to the chair. After their protest, the session was cancelled and delegates left parliament.
 * Kutsnashvili and Talakvadze both alleged that the Greek chairman general of IAO was supposed to lead the session
 * Originally when the protest started, Gavrilov appeared on Russian media, saying that the Russian delegation was not considering shortening its stay
 * Protesters followed Gavrilov to the Radisson and they thre eggs at the building
 * Gavrilov was also met with protesters when leaving the hotel
 * When Gavrilov sought to return to the speaker's seat after the break, the MPs blocked him and said they would not let him "desecrate state institutions" (https://www.rferl.org/a/anti-russia-protesters-in-tbilisi-demand-speaker-s-resignation/30011083.html)
 * The orthodox assembly was suspended and security escorted Gavrilov and his delegation out of the building
 * Gavrilov's address in Parliament: “There have been great tensions between our people, but I believe that we can overcome them. We have to foster an equal dialogue, find ways to solve burning questions in a positive manner, and I believe that with equal dialogue and trust we can heal the questions that have divided us in the past. There is no other way.” (https://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/06/24/its-a-shame/)
 * According to Kobakhidze, GD members also asked Gavrilov to step down from the Speaker's chair at the beginning, but the latter rejected the call (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011034.html)
 * Gavrilov claims that he sat where he was told to seat (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011839.html)
 * The IAO session continued in the hotel, where it took the decision to finish the session
 * In hist hotel, Gavrilov was threatened with bottles and eggs
 * According to Kutsnashvili, Gavrilov never violated the Occupation Act, unlike two other Duma MPs who were rejected entry (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011839.html)
 * Akaki Bobokhidze (EG MP) poured water on the Estonian MP, confusing him for Gavrilov (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011863.html)
 * Gavrilov claimed his visit to Georgia was blessed by the Russian Patriarch (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30025709.html)
 * A picture of the whole IAO delegation was taken in Avlabari on June 19 and Kobakhidze is seen standing next to Gavrilov. The photo was published by IAO on July 1 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30030325.html)
 * Gakharia confirmed he knew ahead of time about Gavrilov's visit and the MIA sought to find a reason to deny his entry, but failed to do so (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30050072.html)

Gavrilov's Night

 * The first protesters demanded the resignation of Kobakhidze, Bakhtadze, Gakharia, and Gomelauri (https://civil.ge/archives/309241)
 * The protest officially began at 19:00
 * Around 2200, tensions mounted as GD issued no response to the demands (https://civil.ge/archives/309346)
 * By 22:26, protesters had broken through the first police cordon but were pushed back by the riot police
 * By 2226: Gakharia arrives on location and calls the protest an "assault on state institutions... that will be judged as they should be. Everyone will be punished with full severity of the law."
 * PM Bakhtadze also arrived at Parliament called the demonstration absolutely unacceptable because it had turned into violence. He blamed UNM for "attempting to move Georgia out of the legal framework."
 * GD leaders placed a difference between youth groups and political leaders protesting
 * Police used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators (https://civil.ge/archives/309536)
 * Late, the MIA issued a statement stating: 'the protest expressed by the participants of the rally outside the Parliament has gone beyond the legal limits of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and acquired a violent nature. Despite the Ministry’s calls, protesters continued their attempts to burst into the Parliament, to resist police officers and demonstrate disobedience to their legal demands. Thus, to prevent break-in into the Parliament building, prevent harm to citizens and law enforcers and reduce the threat of physical confrontation, police used the proportional means necessary for enforcement of law. Moreover, the Interior Ministry will give adequate assessment to the attempts of staging mass unrest and breaking into into the Parliament building and react to each fact of violation and crime.'
 * PM's adviser Davit Sergeenko was pinpointed by the government to provide updates on injuries
 * The Public Defender hopes that the protesters will stop violent actions and peacefully continue expressing protest.
 * Police continued to pursue protesters all through the night (https://civil.ge/archives/309640)
 * The police, including the riot control units have engaged small pockets of protesters that attempted to come together in various locations in central Tbilisi, at the Radisson Hotel on Republic Square, as well as Philarmonic House.
 * The last pockets were eliminated by 04:45 in the morning of 21 June.
 * Initial assault with tear gas took place around 0200
 * 0207: GOC issues statement" 'Protest was justified, since citizens are concerned by occupation of our territories but the protest has degenerated into violence. We call on the Authorities to show restraint and on citizens not to allow their emotions to prevail.'
 * By 0250, close to 50 civilians had been reported injured and the MIA launched a new round of rubber bullets and tear gas
 * Clashes were reported again at 0316, with media reporting that the situation on Rustaveli Avenue had "slipped out of control"
 * Police officers used rubber batons, rubber bullets in an indiscriminate fashion
 * Some protesters penetrated the offices of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Rustaveli avenue, their party flags were thrown from windows and burned.
 * 0400: PM Bakhtadze convenes press briefing at GD HQ in which he said that the protest post-Gavrilov's departure (post-1900) was 'manipulated by destructive political forces that went beyond the constitutional framework. The opposition craves revanche, UNM organizes mass violence and stormed Parliament.'
 * A total of 240 people, including 80 police officers, were injured (https://civil.ge/archives/309669)
 * After 445: some protesters reportedly stayed outside on different locations.
 * 12 journalists were involved, including Guram Muradov of Civil.ge
 * Intoxication and rubber bullet injuries were reported
 * Protesters were distinguished for their anti-Russian posters (https://civil.ge/archives/309677)
 * In Kutaisi, hundreds also gathered that night and the authorities turned off the street lights to discourage protesters
 * According to the MIA's figures, 305 protesters were detained for various criminal offenses that first night, with investigations launched under Article 225 of the Criminal Code (https://civil.ge/archives/309786)
 * According to the MIA, protesters attempted to storm Parliament using sticks, iron constructions, stones, physically assaulting police officers, and disobeying legal demands
 * Gakharia blamed politicians and political parties for managing to turn our citizens' fair and sincere protest into violence
 * Gakharia's recollection: from 2200 to 0000, police tried to not use force as long as possible and to weather protesters' attacks (https://civil.ge/archives/311161)
 * Police officers were receiving onslaught only shielding themselves. During that time, 30 police officers were rupped out of the police cordon and sustained injuries
 * Confrontation near the courtyard lasted five hours but police did not step forward from the perimieter until 0200, protecting Parliament, each other and themselves
 * Police used legitimate right to use force to avoid government overthrow
 * Gakharia would never confirm whether or not he gave the order to disperse the rally
 * According to Gakharia, 300 police shields were taken by protesters (https://civil.ge/archives/319373)
 * Gakharia claims that there were negotiations with opposition leaders and that storming was launched during those negotiations by some bad actors (https://civil.ge/archives/319373)
 * EG responded that it was a lie and that the dispersal order was given the moment when opposition leaders expressed their willingness to negotiate
 * As tensions mounted and as some were trying to break into the courtyard of parliament, opposition leaders and protesters held their arms up with open hands, declaring the protest as peaceful and weaponless (https://jam-news.net/protestors-in-tbilisi-trying-to-get-into-parliament-building/)
 * The break through the police cordon took place after the expiration a deadline set by Melia on the resignation of Kobakhidze, Gakharia, and Gomelauri
 * One of the demands was also the resignation of Bakhtadze (https://jam-news.net/tbilisi-protests-what-this-means-and-what-to-expect/)
 * Tornike Sharashenidze of GIPA describes the night as unacceptable because of the police's use of frightening signals, stalking, and capturing people through the streets.
 * It seems that some people were caught and beaten around the Philharmonic Hall, about a km from the scene
 * Nika Melia called on protesters to march into Parliament (https://oc-media.org/thousands-clash-with-police-as-protesters-try-to-storm-georgian-parliament/)
 * ‘If those who should resign do not step down within an hour, I believe that we have nothing to do here in front of the parliament. We have to march in peacefully, with our hands in the air, into the parliament building and make our protest even more intense. We will come out once they resign’
 * Protesters attempted to break through police lines to storm the parliament, and riot police responded with rubber bullets and tear gas in an attempt to disperse them.
 * By around 01:00 on Friday morning, the majority of protesters had dispersed although several hundred remained and continued to attempt to force their way into the parliament, with police intermittently firing tear gas and rubber bullets.
 * At around 01:45, additional riot police were deployed including a water cannon, driving the remaining protesters down Rustaveli Avenue.
 * Small groups of protesters continued to clash with police until around 05:00.
 * Demands were the resignations of Kobakhidze, Gakharia, and Gomelauri. Some were also calling for the complete resignation of the government and the scheduling of snap elections
 * The snap elections were to be proportional (https://oc-media.org/georgian-parliamentary-speaker-resigns-amidst-anti-russia-protests/)
 * The MIA called on protesters to disperse and 'not to act on a provocation'
 * Gakharia called the clashes a 'politically motivated attempt at catastrophe'
 * According to Ugulava, the MIA offered negotiations with the PM, although the deployment of tear gas prevented the negotiation
 * On the first day, protests were also reported in Batumi and Gori (https://oc-media.org/russian-mp-s-appearance-in-georgian-parliament-sparks-protests-across-georgia/)
 * Gakharia criticized opposition leaders for 'vanishing' from the protest after 2200 (https://oc-media.org/georgian-parliamentary-speaker-resigns-amidst-anti-russia-protests/)
 * 305 people were arrested, mostly on charges of petty hooliganism and disobeying police orders (https://oc-media.org/georgia-switches-to-proportional-electoral-system-bowing-to-protesters-demands/)
 * Some protesters yanked shields and helmets from politce officers (https://www.rferl.org/a/anti-russia-protesters-in-tbilisi-demand-speaker-s-resignation/30011083.html)
 * Kobakhidze originally refused to put an end to his visit to Azerbaijan on June 20 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30010952.html)
 * At 1900, when the protest started, Gigi Ugulava gave the authorites one hour to fulfill the demand of the resignation of kobakhidze, Gomelauri and gakharia (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30010971.html)
 * Before midnight, Gakharia appeared in Parliament and called on every citizen to obey the demands of the police and leave the premises of Parliament (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011020.html)
 * Saakashvili called on the police to "move to the side of the people" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011042.html)
 * Kaladze called the protest "unconstitutional" and "beyond the framework of freedom of expression" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011067.html)
 * In Parliament, GAKHARIA ISSUED a statement calling the attacks on the police a tragedy (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011066.html)
 * Bakhtadze arrived in Parliament in the height of the protest, before midnight. He wass accompanied by Anzor Chubinidze, who asked all journalists and staff members to leave the premises (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011089.html)
 * From there, Bakhtadze warned: Violence will have an appropriate response (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011127.html)
 * Malkhaz Machalikashvili was at the protest and he was evacuated by protesters when the situation became tense (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011118.html)
 * Tear gas was fired after some demonstrators sought to enter Parliament (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011129.html)
 * Protester method: pull police officers into the crowd to progressively thin the ranks of law enforcement
 * The tear gas managed to temporarily disperse protesters but they quickly gathered again, after which rubber bullets were used (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011143.html)
 * Shortly after midnight, MS called on people to move to the regions (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011172.html)
 * Post midnight: Reports of hand-to-hand combat between protesters and officers, with some protesters using iron bars to resist (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011185.html)
 * Dispersal process: Increased speical forces, water jets, arrests (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011194.html)
 * The Prime Minister denied originally that rubber bullets were being used, saying "it's not the signature of GD" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011200.html)
 * Most injuries took place when protesters sought to approach special forces shouting Sakartvelo, to which they responded with tear gas (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011204.html)
 * After the first wave of dispersal, hundreds gathered around the vicinity of Marriott, some shooting fireworks (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011213.html)
 * Special forces cleaned originally the street till the Opera, using water cannons and a woman's voice on loudspeaker calling for dispersal (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011211.html)
 * During that cleanup, protesters sought to place barriers using chairs, bins, and tables. They sought to return to Parliament but were met with gas cannisters (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011217.html)
 * As the morning approached, small clashes were seen on Varazskhevi, Melikishvili and Kostava (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011675.html)
 * By the morning, motor traffic was restored (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011684.html)
 * The situation was all cleaned by 0800 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011784.html)
 * At 0600, some groups gathered near Melikishvili and by the TSU. Some smashed a car near the Philharmonic Hall. Paybox machines were broken on Melikishvili Ave (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011784.html)
 * Arrests were made there
 * HRW monitoring: At 1 a.m., the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a statement, according to which the mass of people "exceeded the scope established by the law on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and became violent." Despite the call from the Ministry, the participants of the rally continued to try to break into the Parliament and resisted the police. (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012083.html)
 * One 70 year old man was arrested for allegedly making a Molotov cocktain (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30015179.html)
 * Evidence eventually revealed that three GD MPs (Okhanashvili, Kavelashvili, and Davit Matikashvili) were in parliament at night and were part of the decision-making to crackdown on the protest (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30021611.html)
 * June 26: Protest labeled Sirtskhvilia 7.0 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30022015.html)
 * Melia claimed and released footage that proved that he wanted to enter Parliament with other opposition leaders to negotiate. Gakharia denied those claims as a complete farce (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30050026.html)
 * Gakharia confirmed he gave the order to disperse during his Grigolia interview (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30050063.html)
 * It was during the Grigolia interview that Gakharia revealed he was watching the events unfold on TV from inside Parliament along with "the ambassadors of several countries". Originally, the MFA denied this (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30051020.html)
 * The US Embassy denied having had any representative in Parliament that night (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30051079.html)
 * Hartzell also denied being in Parliament that night (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30051176.html)
 * The French Ambassador Pascal Meunier was not in Parliament but he confirmed the German ambassador was there (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30051204.html)
 * Eventually, the MFA confirmed there were several ambassadors in Parliament, with Zalkaliani saying "I remember the German ambassador was there" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30051255.html)
 * The British ambassador also denied being in Parliament (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30051410.html)
 * The MIA eventually made a clarification and said only the German ambassador was there (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30051410.html)
 * According to Gakharia, he briefed Ivanshvili on the events of the night the next day and denied having coordinated with him the response (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30061317.html)

Following days

 * On June 21, journalists held solidarity rallies to protest the injuries of over 30 journalists, gathering under the banner Dont Shoot (https://civil.ge/archives/3098050
 * They gathered at 15:00 at the MIA
 * Other protests in Batumi, Kutaisi and Ozurgeti
 * June 21: protest died down around 2AM (https://civil.ge/archives/3098400
 * Protesters gathered back at 1900 on June 22
 * The three main demands of June 21: Gakharia resignation, release of prisoners detained on Gavrilov night, full transition to proportional elections
 * Portesters gathered in front of Parliament in the yard of TSU
 * The new protests was a reaction to the previous night
 * Gakharia's resignation was demanded within three hours
 * Another demand was bringing to justice police officers who exceeded force
 * The protesters distanced themselves from political forces, calling it a civic protest against police brutality
 * June 22: MIA warns protesters to observe public order (https://civil.ge/archives/310096)
 * Statement also confirms that 121 out of 305 were sentenced to administrative imprisonment, while others were released with a fine or a warning
 * New demands unchanged
 * Protesters changed their anti-politician approached and agreed to let opposition leaders address the protests
 * Protest leaders claimed that SUS was planning on staging provocations using the GD youth wing to incite tensions
 * MP Sergi Kapanadze of EG posted their pictures on Facebook
 * Bera Ivanishvili writes a post backing protests, although criticizing "revanchists" who staged violence
 * In the later evening, the protesters were moving towards the GD office, where majority leader Archil Talakvadze was giving an interview to Imedi (protesters chose to move to the office because of that)
 * The protest had ended by 0127
 * June 23 started at 1900
 * Ended around 0030 (https://civil.ge/archives/310156)
 * At 1400, the supporters sounded their cars' horns in solidarity
 * The demonstration ended with a peaceful march to the Government Administration to make their voices "better heard"
 * Protesters threaten to expand their protests with live chains and hunger strikes unless demands are met
 * On June 21, one of the deamdns was the dissolution of parliament and snap proportional elections (https://jam-news.net/tbilisi-protests-what-this-means-and-what-to-expect/)
 * The protests that ensued regularly heard cries of Putin Khuilo (Putin is a dickhead) (https://oc-media.org/georgia-switches-to-proportional-electoral-system-bowing-to-protesters-demands/)
 * June 22: Just after midnight, thousands marched from Parliament to the GD office (https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-protests-anti-russia-parliament-tbilisi/30013741.html)
 * They ended up in a standoff with the police that was surrounding the party office
 * Police had set up a metal barrier around Parliament
 * Thousands of protesters lit up their mobile phones and sang the national anthem
 * Protest leaders were distributing X-ray posters of a rubber bullet inside a skull
 * Posters had a strong anti-Russian line, including: The war goes on. We won't tolerate Russian occupation.
 * Also posters: Russia is occupant", "Georgian writers and publishers will never tolerate Russian occupation" (https://www.rferl.org/a/protests-resume-in-georgian-capital-for-fourth-night/30015537.html)
 * June 23: Giga Lemonjava (protester) sets up small tent in front of Parliament for he and his friends to sleep there throgh the night until the release of prisoners
 * Protesters often branded EU flags (https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/thousands-of-protesters-try-to-storm-georgia-parliament/)
 * Protesters chanted 'resign' (https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/georgian-protesters-slam-putinism-raise-pressure-on-ruling-oligarch/)
 * The protsts took a form against Ivanishvili
 * Protesters said they were fighting for deoligarchization (https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/thousands-in-tbilisi-demand-georgias-de-oligarchisation/)
 * On June 21, Vashadze came out and called for protesters to gather once more at 1900 in front of Parliament. He said, "all minus one" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011702.html)
 * June 21: Before 1900, MIA asked staffers and journalists to leave parliament, while police was mobilized in the inner courtyard (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012778.html)
 * More than 300 students of Kobakhidze called for TSU to dismiss him from teaching at the Law Faculty on June 21 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012829.html)
 * June 21: Protest starts with hundreds of students gathering in the yard of TSU at 1800. Some banners read "occupation can still be seen with one eye" and others (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012907.html)
 * A few hundred gathered in Kutaisi in front of the Melikishvili Theater on June 21, calling for the resignation of Gakharia (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013029.html)
 * June 21: წადი, წადი chants (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013130.html)
 * Special forces were present from the very beginning in front of Parliament
 * June 22: Reports that youth groups from across the country are headed to Tbilisi (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013232.html)
 * June 21: Protest leaders sought to end the rally early to resume it the day after and turned off the microphone, but attendees refused to end and continued using megaphones (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013259.html)
 * June 21: As police sought to detain an individual for unknown reasons, the situation became tense. They blocked the police car and forced the police to release the man (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013274.html)
 * June 21: After midnight, a sit-in started on Rustaveli (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013280.html)
 * June 22: Demands unchanged, ultimatum till the end of the day (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30014278.html)
 * June 22: Demands are resignation of MIA, release of June 20 prisoners, start discussions on transition to proportional (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30014320.html)
 * Director Giorgi Shengelia announced in a speech at the rally the creation of an initiative group with five demands: end of informal rule by Bidzina, banning of GD, dismissal of MIA, MOJ, and head of armed forces, restoration of fair court and removal of Bidzina's judges, extraordinary elections
 * June 22: Protesters chant წადი, წადი to Gakharia (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30014386.html)
 * From Rustaveli Ave, protesters marched to GD office holding hands. They were met there with a police cordon. The stayed for 15 min, made their demands, and dispersed (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30014398.html)
 * The ultimatum for Gakharia's resignation was set for 1400 on June 23 or the protests would continue (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30014403.html)
 * Over night on June 22-23, protest installations in front of Parliament, including the main stage, were disbanded and confiscated by Tbilisi City Hall (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30015094.html)
 * Following protests abut the removal of the stage, Tbilservice Group issued a statement claiming that the stage was only taken out for cleaning and returned (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30015140.html)
 * Protests in Kutaisi continued until at least 23 June (radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30015425.html)
 * June 24: Motorcycle riding protesters ride to the MIA signaling (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30015516.html)
 * On June 23, some Sirtskhvilia protesters launched a hunger strike in front of Parliament. They declared, "I will die on you before I forgive you for the sunken eye" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30015535.html)
 * There were three of them and they set up a tent. They said they would remain on hunger strike until Gakharia resigns (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30016246.html)
 * June 23 protest ended in front of the Chancellery (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30015580.html)

Government response

 * On June 22, parliament majority leader Archil Talakvadze rejected calls for 2020 proportional elections, stating that the constitution foresaw the transition for 2024 (https://civil.ge/archives/310127)
 * Talakvadze called the police action legitimate and triggered by irresponsible provocaitons of the opposition
 * Kaladze (SG) said that while the visit of Gavrilov was a mistake, the authorities took responsibility already by Kobakhidze's resignation
 * Kaladze blamed protesters for the violence that left 240 injured
 * In the morning of June 24, Bidzina Ivanishvili issued a press conference after a meeting of the political council. In it, he said: (https://civil.ge/archives/310307)
 * Proportional elections with no threshold in 2020
 * Punishment for those who initiated mass violence
 * He said "our political team is voluntarily relinquishing the advantage that the Georgian Dream possesses during the mixed system"
 * Ivanishvili's announcement was met with prase from Bakhtadze who called it an unprecendeted decision, Kakha Kaladze who said GD was "ready for dialogue with all those political parties that see the future and development of our country within the framework of the opposition", Tamar Chugoshvili (Deputy Speaker) who called it "the beginning of revolutionary changes in the Georgian political system" (https://civil.ge/archives/3103510)
 * The opposition had a different reaction: Khoshtaria said it was a victory of the protesters but continued calling for Gakharia's resignation, Grigol Vashadze said it was impossible to hold democratic elections while falsifier Gakharia is in office, Saakashvili called Ivanishvili's proposal a "swindle" and called for the dismissal of Gakharia and Gomelauri, the release of protesters, and the schedule of snap elections under a proportional system, and called for nationwide protests as long as the demands weren' met
 * Protests resumed anyways on 24 June, with the rally beginning at 2000 because of bad weather (https://civil.ge/archives/310393)
 * They applauded the announcement a historic victory but said their demands remained unchanged
 * The MIA released a statement stating that Gakharia wishes to address Parliament
 * June 25: Protest starts at 1900 (https://civil.ge/archives/310767)
 * Main focus is Gakharia's resignation and detention of police officers
 * GD toughened its tone and accused destructive opposition leaders, especially from UNM
 * Parliament opened with GD MPs launching broad attacks against opposition leaders, seeking to divide protesters
 * MPs also backed Gakharia, claiming he avoided bloodshed in the country
 * Talakvadze opened the session with "a particular political group tried to turn a peaceful rally into an act of aggression, plotting to overrun the police cordon and storm the Parliament of Georgia"
 * Mdinaradze said all those staging provocations should be held accountable
 * Bakhtadze directly laid the responsibility on UNM
 * A new political standoff started in Parliament and the streets when Parliament lifted Nika Melia's immunity on June 26 (https://civil.ge/archives/310938)
 * Mamuka Bakhtadze postponed his parliamentary address scheduled for June 28, leading to a procedural violation as the speech had to be heard by the end of June
 * June 27: Protesters march from Parliament to Bidzina's home, showing yellow cards as a sign of warning
 * Protests had expanded to other towns and villages, and there were reports of some starting a hunger strike
 * By that time, two of the demands had been fulfilled: proportional and release of detention, with police officers in detention
 * In his first public appearance since June 20, Gakharia said he would not resign until the end of the investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/311161)
 * The government pushed back the creation of the State Inspector Service from July 1 to November 1, claiming budgetary shortfalls, although CSOs saw an attempt to avoid a new mechanism to investigate law enforcement (https://civil.ge/archives/311836)
 * On Juoly 4, the MIA arrested 4 for participating in group violence (https://civil.ge/archives/312006)
 * another 4 arrested on 16 july (https://civil.ge/archives/313360)
 * 3 more were arrested on charges of group violence on July 17 (https://civil.ge/archives/313506)
 * in an interview on July 17, ivanishvili defended Gakharia's use of force as legitimate, accused UNM and affiliated parties of treason (https://civil.ge/archives/313557)
 * Another two were arrested on July 27 (https://civil.ge/archives/314988)
 * On Sp 7, Gakharia pledged to next time use available operative information to make decisions on entry (https://civil.ge/archives/319373)
 * On June 25, a brawl took place in Parliament, with EG demanding the impeachment of Gakharia to be placed on the agenda, rejected by GD, which led to physical altercation. Opposition MPs then left the building (https://jam-news.net/georgian-parliamentary-opposition-leaves-session-in-protest/)
 * In July, at least two public employees revealed they had lost their jobs due to their participation in the protest (https://jam-news.net/tbilisi-protests-day-14-organisers-change-strategy/)
 * Prime Minister Bakhtadze announced that his cabinet would create a Youth Platform "under the tutelage of the government"
 * At a July 16 press conference, Bidzina praised Gakharia as a strong guy, condemned journalists under the influence of UNM, belittled journalists, and said Get used to silence (https://jam-news.net/georgia-ruling-party-head-speaks-out-for-first-time-since-tbilisi-protests/)
 * He also said that Kobakhidze's response to resign was not appropriate
 * Parliament debated lifted Melia's immunity for 5 hours (https://oc-media.org/opposition-mp-nika-melia-stripped-of-parliamentary-immunity/)
 * The process at time turned almost violent, with ushers separating MPs
 * Melia supporters stood outside the building
 * On June 27, protesters marched to the home of Ivanishvili to demand Gakharia's resignation (https://oc-media.org/protesters-in-tbilisi-march-to-ivanishvili-s-residence-to-interrupt-his-sleep/)
 * Some of the protest leaders were young activists on scooters
 * They set fire to a version of the Soviet Georgian flag, which riders drove over
 * Outside of Ivanishvili's residence, the protesters tried to disturb his sleep by signing the national anthem, playing the EU anthem, and blowing whistles
 * Some protesters held their hands high in the air as a sign of a peaceful protest
 * Others demonstratedly showed yellow warning cards, warning that a red card would come next if their demands were not met
 * On June 29, the march started from Republic Square and continued to Freedom Square
 * On June 26, Shota Dighmelashvili announced that all arrested protesters had been released
 * Immediately after Bidzina's announcement, Bakhtadze said he was willing to negotiate, but only with those politicians "who respect the constitution" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30016711.html)
 * On June 24 afternoon, a motorcade of dozens of cars moved through signaling and brandishing Georgian flags, calling it "Signal the Occupation" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30016803.html)
 * On June 24, a small group of activists led by Anna Dolidze protested in front of the Tbilisi Court of Appeals to protest ongoing trials (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30016875.html)
 * Poet Alex Chigvinadze reported that authorities threatened his railway worker father because of his role in the protest (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30017852.html)
 * The red-patched Gakharia bust was brought to Parliament on June 24 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30017906.html)
 * June 24: after midnight, protesters form a live chain holding hands around Parliament (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30017963.html)
 * On June 25: European Georgia announced boycotting the Tbilisi City Council (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30018811.html)
 * 25 June: Beka Basilaia, an attorney detained on June 20, starts a hunger strike demanding the resignation of Gakharia (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30018810.html)
 * 25 June: In Parliament, EG-UNM MPs confront GD Mps after the opposition called on Parliament to postpone discussion on every topic before discussing the issue of Gakharia's resignation (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30018861.html)
 * And then the opposition left Parliament (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30018917.html)
 * Eka Beselia told GD MPs not to lose face because of their seats (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30018930.html)
 * On June 25 in the morning, a shame corridor was announced at the entrance of Parliament but GD Mps sneaked into Parliament at 0800 to avoid the corridor. In the afternoon, protest started early on Chichinadze St and were led by political leaders. Smaller (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30018999.html)
 * In the evening of June 25, Gvantsa Arevadze, one of the hunger-strikers, was taken to the hospital (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30020176.html)
 * The immunity debate that started on June 26 over Nika Melia was controversial because it started at 0900, before the offices of the security were open, meaning guests would not be allowed to attend (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30020925.html)
 * June 26: UNM holds a small rally behind Parliament (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30021419.html)
 * June 26: UNM and EG factions boycott Kutaisi Sakrebulo (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30021597.html)
 * June 26: Protesters wear red bandanas covering their right eye as a symbol. Then, they three them on the floor as a sign of freedom, after which the European anthem was played (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30022200.html)
 * June 27: Bakhtadze says the blame lays on Saakashvili and his aggressive group (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30024219.html)
 * June 27: At 2230, protesters left Parliuament to march to Ivanishvili's house, as it is said he sleeps at 2200 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30024449.html)
 * The protest was called Le'ts Wake Bidzina (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30024535.html)
 * On June 28, the Tbilisi Coty Hall Municipal Inspection Service removed Zakaria Kutsnashvili's permit to renovate a home of cultural heritage significance without pre-approved architectural plans (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30025598.html)
 * June 28: afternoon motorcade convoy from Republic Square to Chancellery signalling and brandishing Georgian and Western flags, inc US and EU. Mainly EG members (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30025696.html)
 * June 28: Social network rumors allege a pro-Gakharia rally at Republic Square. Gakharia is opposed to it, as it would aggravate the situation (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30026079.html)
 * June 28: Protest takes place under the rain. Main slogan is "In service of country 9.0" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30026287.html)
 * Protesters mainly wear blue and yellow raincoats
 * June 28: Lasha Bughadze, writer, delivers a speech at the rally. He says that Bakhtadze's resignation is not demanded "because we cannot remove an animated character" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30026457.html)
 * June 29: Anita Rachvelishvili sang a song of support at the rally (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30027460.html)
 * She sang the national anthem and asked for forgiveness for singing in Russian in the past (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30027662.html)
 * June 29: Freedom march held to demand Gakharia's resignation with posters of Tsadi (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30027578.html)
 * June 30: Nino Katamadze joins protesters, pledges to no longer hold concerts in Russia (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30028604.html)
 * She called for Gakharia's resignation (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30028702.html)
 * Peskov responded saying that Katamadze did not know enough politics (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30030337.html)
 * 30 June: Bakhtadze announces the creation of a Youth Advisory Council, following a letter calling for such a move addressed to Ivanishvili (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30028839.html)
 * On 1 July, the government launched metro rehabilitation works that forced the metro to be shut down at 2300 instead of 0000 for a whole year. Some saw it as an attempt to discourage young people from staying late at the protest (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30029720.html)
 * Shortly after the protest, Georgian Railways removed Russian announcements from trains, although they denied it was related to the protest (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30034878.html)
 * GD considered expelling MPs who did not vote in the Melia immunity lift (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30035149.html)
 * The Delisi Russian inscription in the metro station was removed in the summer (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30042929.html)

Summer protests

 * Protests continued at 1900 on July 1, 2 (https://civil.ge/archives/311665)
 * On July 6, the protest took the name of March for Freedom against Occupation, with protesters moving around 2000 to march toward Bidzina's house (https://civil.ge/archives/312244)
 * They said they would not stop until Gakharia's resignation and pledged to transform Rustaveli Avenue into a venue for a new national movement, new civic society
 * On July 8, far-right pro-Russian groups, including the Primakov Georgian-Russian Public Center, gathered on Rustaveli to demand the end of depravity going on over the past days (https://civil.ge/archives/312397)
 * The rally was joined by Levan Vasadze's supporters who had been stationed in Vere Park to thward the ride Parade
 * Georgian March was also present
 * The July 8 events developed as two parallel rallies divided by a police cordon on Rustaveli, lasting till sunrise without serious confrontation (https://civil.ge/archives/312483)
 * The hate groups demanded to meet with Talkvadze, the repeal of the anti-discrimination act, and a ban on LGBT propaganda
 * This time, the anti-occupation demonstrators started from Freedom Square as the Parliament had been taken by far-right groups, and marched toward Rustaveli performing the national anthem, and called on counter-demonstrators to let them take the place they held for 18 days
 * A police cordon was set up in front of the Youth Palace and the the anti-occupant rally was not allowed to move forward
 * A small group of demonstrators managed to reach the front of Parliament, but rally leaders discouraged and most of the demonstrators remained behind the polce cordon
 * Patrol police representative Vazha Siradze sought to negotiate with rally leaders before they marched toward Parliament, but ultimately failed and said that everyone has the right to express protest in a peaceful manner
 * Throughout July, mass arrests took place. Okruashvili was arrested on charges of organizing mass violence, though his arrest was suspicious as he had recently rose to prominence as a witness in the controversial Rustavi 2 case (https://civil.ge/archives/314916)
 * The appointment of Gakharia as PM led to a new energy in protests on September 3 as Parliament reopened for the fall session. In Parliament, EG MPs blew whistles after the national anthem and then left the session in protest (https://civil.ge/archives/318819)
 * The protest on Sep 3 lasted all day outside of Parliament,. Giga Makarashvili said the government should resign for having lost legitimacy. Dighmelashvili called on GD to vote down Gakharia's candidacy. This was the 76th day
 * Post-Sep 3, the protests grew angry because of Gakharia's elevation (https://civil.ge/archives/318974)
 * On Sep 7, Gakharia was forced to enter Parliament through a police cordon (https://civil.ge/archives/319373)
 * Sep 20: Final day, Together Against One rally in front of parliament. Organizers announced a new action plan, to mobilize the public ahead of the 2020 election (https://civil.ge/archives/321104)
 * 93 days total
 * Manifesto read by Dighmelashvili: We are the free citizens of free Georgia…whose fair, peaceful protest continues for already three months. And when we are all standing at the country’s service, we are changing the country to better. a shameful crime committed by the government” on June 20, has united diverse people, whereas the state responded to “the protest of the people devoted to the homeland with violence. “Today, we have gathered here to tell Bidzina Ivanishvili that you had a chance to respond to public demand and take responsibility over your mistakes, but you have openly confronted the public will instead,
 * A summer lull was seen in protests around July 1 (https://jam-news.net/tbilisi-protests-day-14-organisers-change-strategy/)
 * Protesters indicated that they would use additional strategies, including partisan tactics, such as following the minister everywhere he goes
 * Protesters developed their own symbolism: red eye patches with the inscription 20%
 * On July 4, a concert took place.
 * Larger rally planned for July 6
 * Protest leaders announced they would set up a "permanent workplace" near Parliament, which will feature the presentation of films about the Russian narrative, presentations of books, meetings with authors, discussions about global politics every day
 * These were announced by Giga Makarashvili
 * On 8 July, the city was paralyzed by four protests: an LGBT pride march, an anti-occupation rally, an ultranationalist demonstration, and a protest against Rustavi 2 (https://jam-news.net/four-protests-in-a-night-tbilisi-takes-to-the-streets/)
 * The Rustaveli cordon was made of police officers and buses
 * The pride march was held in front of the MIA
 * The Rustavi 2 protest was led by Georgian March
 * On Rustaveli, participants of both demonstrations spent the night and the ultranationalist one broke up in the morning, letting the anti-occupation activists take back their place in front of Parliament
 * TV Pirveli Gakharia interview: Protesters meet him outside the studio and scream "Leave" "Liar" "Bloodthirsty" (https://jam-news.net/georgian-interior-minister-responsible-for-brutal-protest-dispersal-i-dont-plan-on-resigning/)
 * On July 17, a group of Russians protested in front of Parliament against Gavrilov and in support of Georgian anti-occupation rallies (https://oc-media.org/videos/russian-jitizens-protest-in-tbilisi/)
 * On August 16, anti-occupant activists, including Giga Makarashvili, headed toward Gugutiantkari to protest the new borderization process, although SUS blocked them from entering the village, citing safety measures (https://oc-media.org/new-borderisation-in-south-ossetia-cuts-off-property-of-two-georgian-families/)
 * On 2 July, protesters installed a bust of Gakharia with blood stains and an eyepatch outside of Parliament (https://oc-media.org/gakharia-failed-to-act-but-did-not-give-order-to-use-rubber-bullets-public-defender-reports/)
 * At the 11 July Batumi Intl Conference, protesters gathered outside the venue to demand the resignation of Giorgi Gakharia (https://www.euractiv.com/section/eastern-europe/news/georgia-suggest-taking-an-unconventional-path-to-eu-accession/)
 * On Sep 8, upon announcement of Gakharia's appointment as PM, protesters showed up to Parliament with sheep to sumbolize "sheep herd controlled by unofficial leader of country Bidzina Ivanishvili" (https://www.euractiv.com/section/eastern-europe/news/ex-interior-minister-gakharia-confirmed-as-georgian-pm/)
 * By July 20, NEE reported that "the most critical stage of the protest has passed and the ruling party managed to avoid a further escalaytion of the situation for now" (https://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/07/18/georgias-june-crisis/)
 * July 1: GD holds a presentation of its planned electoral reform, with the participation of some opposition parties. A small protest calling for Gakharia's resignation takes place at the Sheraton Metekhi Palace where the presentation is held (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30029957.html)
 * July 1: Rustaveli Ave no longer closed but protest goes on. Dighmelashvili says the goal was not to block the road (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30031639.html)
 * July 1: Shame Movement organizes anti-Gakharia protest in Batumi weith the slogan 9+7 bloody years (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30031666.html)
 * July 2: Protest in Gori, small, mainb slogan: "Let the butcher resign" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30033057.html)
 * July 2: Protest leaders announce plans for the week, including a concert for July 4, a large-scale rally for July 6 (weekend) and a permanent workspace organized in front of Parliament from the week after (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30033322.html)
 * Workspace project: several small businesses to move their departments here in a big tent and organize a co-working space to handle project management
 * The main demand Gakharia's resignation remained unfulfilled
 * July 2: Protest held in front of Bidzina's house in Shekvetili tp hold a hunger strike (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30033673.html)
 * July 3: Protest leaders express need for diversity in actions to keep momentm going (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30034386.html)
 * July 3: Protest in Gori in front of the police department, organized by UNM (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30034905.html)
 * July 3: Car motorcade advances parades in front of Bidzina's house in tbilisi, from Republic Square, in the afternoon (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30034967.html)
 * July 3: Youth UNM organizes protest in Rustavi (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30035057.html)
 * July 3: Batumi for Freedom organizes protest in Batumi using pictures of historical figures with red eyepatches (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30035532.html)
 * July 4: Stage dedicated to musicians (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30035700.html)
 * 22 musicians and bands took part on stage, including heavy names (see here: https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30036875.html)
 * No speeches
 * Rustaveli Ave was blocked (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30037464.html)
 * In early July, the protest took a special form of lasting from 1900 to 2300 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30037580.html)
 * July 5: UNM youth organizes protest in Kutaisi for Gakharia's resignation (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30038697.html)
 * July 6: March from parliament to bidzina's house on at 2100 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30040569.html)
 * July 6: March in Shekvetili by the Deondrological Park. Young activists chant "down with the oligarch, no to occupant' (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30040643.html)
 * July 7: Tribune for writers (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30041212.html)
 * July 8: Tbilisi Pride, Rustavi 2 situations heating up in parallel. Dekanoz Davit Isakadze calls on the MIA to clean up Rustaveli Avenue to allow clergy to pray (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30042700.html)
 * July 8: Deaknoz isakadze announces a plan to ovserve hunger strikers in front of Parliament as he refuses to believe they are really striking (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30042719.html)
 * July 8: Protest leaders refuse the church's call to end the protest (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30042834.html)
 * July 8: Protest leaders allege that the government gathered far-right groups (against Rustavi 2 and homophobic groups under Vasadze and the Church) to prevent the demonstration (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30043140.html)
 * July 8: Vasadze takes the lead on Rustaveli, while anti-occupant activists hold a briefing on the Heroes' Square (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30043363.html)
 * July 8: MIA warns anti-occupation activists that they will not be able to protect them if they hold a rally against anti-homophobic groups (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30043489.html)
 * July 8: In the anti-occupation rally, one man is assaulted by a far-right activist (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30044084.html)
 * July 9: Several protests: Shame demonstrations in front of Parliament, far-right groups with them, LGBT pride march, Rustavi 2 action. Situation briefly tense on Rustaveli Ave when uktra-right groups soght to break the police cordon set between them and Shame activists (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30044310.html)
 * June 8: While the far-right protest took part in front of Parliament, the hunger strikers were there too, raising concern for their safety (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30044874.html)
 * Overnight, when the situation died down and the police removed its cordon of yellow buses, the anti-occiupation leaders took back their place (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30044874.html)
 * One of the leaders of the far-right groups was Dimitri Lortkipanidze, director of the Georgian-Russian Public Center (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30044889.html)
 * 9 July: Zourabichvili calls for all the sides inside and outside to deescalate. She scriticized the "irresponsible actions and statements under the banner of patriotism that are harming our economic well-being here and abroad" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30045449.html)
 * 10 July: Photo exhibit displaying pictures of the dispersal at the rally location (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30046893.html)
 * 10 July: GD activists ransack and destroy the tents of the hunger strikers in Shekvetili (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30047935.html)
 * 11 July: Sirtskhvilia organizes protest in front of Sheraton in Batumi as the international conference takes place (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30048913.html)
 * Opposition leaders met with Tusk to express concern about democracy (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30049362.html)
 * July 11: Gakharia interview with Grigolia. Protesters watch it in front of parliament and shout lie (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30050085.html)
 * July 11: two far-right activists raid the protesters as they watch TV. One underage is beaten (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30050873.html)
 * July 12: Opposition Gori Sakrebulo members leave the session, demanding Gakharia's resignation (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30051430.html)
 * 13 JuLY: Beka Basilaia and Vakhtang Sikharulidze end their hunger strike (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30053924.html)
 * 14 July: Flea market opened in front of Parliament by protesters to help pay for the protests (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30054595.html)
 * 15 July: Protesters meet Bakhtadze as he visits Variani (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30056128.html)
 * 17 July: Book fair held in partnership with major publishing houses (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30058848.html)
 * 17 July: Protest stencil appears on the underground passage of Rustaveli featuring Kartlis Deda covering her eyes (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30059767.html)
 * The next day, its face was erased (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30061401.html)
 * 18 July: Media day. Protest dedicated to the media. Coincidence with Rustavi 2 decision (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30062624.html)
 * Though the only demand remained Gakharia's resignation, Shame organizers used the slogan "Rustavi 2 is ours", an indication that they were fighting for the right of free speech. (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30063413.html)
 * This was as Lavrov welcomed the Strasbourg decision
 * There was a musical concert scheduled that day that was cancelled in respect of the death of a teenage construction worker who died on a construction site (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30063492.html)
 * 19 July: In honor of the dead teenager, the protesters organize in front of Parliament a town hall meeting to discuss labor safety regulations, moderated by Dighmelashvili (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30065423.html)
 * 19 July: 30th day of demonstrations. Streets of Tbilisi are filled with posters expressing "It's been one month since they see through one eye" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30066312.html)
 * July 21: Flea market for start-up businesses held at the rally (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30067821.html)
 * 22 July: Broadcasting begins for special reports explaining why Gakharia should resign on the steps of Parliament. The first edition features Deputy PD Giorgi Burjanadze. Plans include the development of an independent television channel (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30069535.html)
 * 24 July: In the summer mode, speeches are replaced with broadcasts on the steps of Parliament. That day, the broadcast is dedicated to the TBC affair, as the Prosecutor's Office launches a case against Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze. The main guest is Zurab Japaridze and participants are given the right to ask questions (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30073508.html)
 * 26 July: Broadcast on unfair courts (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30077449.html)
 * 31 July: Public discussion on economy in front of Parliament (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30085734.html)
 * 3 August: Return of traditional rally format with speeches made on the steps of Parliament in front of protest-goers, at the 45th day. One of the key speakers was Eka Jaiani, wife of Bezhan Lortkipanidze (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30090801.html)
 * 4 August: MP Elene Khoshtaria and EG activists show up with eye patches red in Chorvila
 * 4 August: Bakhtadze visits Beshumi, protesters meet him with large banners calling for Gakharia to resign (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30091601.html)
 * Rizhvadze called them "irresponsible parasites" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30091839.html)
 * 5 August: Discussion with Samadashvili on history of parliamentarism in recent Georgia (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30093727.html)

Protest leaders

 * The presence of opposition leaders on June 20 angered some (https://civil.ge/archives/309677)
 * Politicians started to be returned to the protest on June 22, when protest leaders softened their stance toward their participation. They explained that cooperation was necessary (https://civil.ge/archives/310096)
 * On June 22: Elene Khoshtaria (EG), Tamar Kordzaia (RP), Aleko Elisashvili (Civil Movement of Georgia), Zaal Udumashvili (UNM)
 * Observers noted that the June 20 protests were a new category for Georgia because they weren't organized by political parties but by citizen-activists with no partisan loyalty. This was a sign that the people were moving away from the GD-UNM struggle (https://civil.ge/archives/310657)
 * Civil.ge noted that the process of citizen-activists started in the Tbilisi floods of 2015 with teenagers cleaning up the streets, increased during the White Noise Movement
 * Along the prominent faces were Shota Dighmelashvili, co-founder of Governance Monitoring Center, manager of Waste Detector, and executive editor of Forbes Georgia; Salome Barker, a young journalist; Misha Mshvildadze, a TV host and comedian, Nino Chelidze, a member of the Civic Journalism Club; Giorgi Noniashvili, co-founder of Waste Detector; Tamar Arveladze, activist at the Russia is Occupant public movement; Irakli Pavlenishvili, Sister Sidonia who the GOC distanced itself from for her calls for human rights and equality; Giorgi Tabagari of Tbilisi Pride; Ida Bakhturidze of Women in Europe for a Common Future's Georgian office; Nodar Rukhadze of Russia is Occupant; Nata Peradze, a painter; Lasha Bakradze, author
 * On June 28, opposition leaders were clearly shown at the helm of marchers from Parliament to Bidzina's house (https://civil.ge/archives/311037)
 * Tbilisi Pride was regularly present in the protests. They had been involved pre-protests in their own controversies, as their push to organize a Pride rally was met with fierce opposition from far-right groups who had started to rally up protesters in the city (https://civil.ge/archives/312441)
 * the protests became known as the Shame protests
 * JamNews estimates that there were close to 30 protest leaders (https://jam-news.net/tbilisi-protests-day-14-organisers-change-strategy/)
 * Includes successful media managers, producers, doctors, lawyers, social media managers, journalists, and students.
 * They openly consulted with political party leaders but asserted that their agenda was set by themselves
 * Examples: Shota Dighmelashvili, Misha Mshvildadze
 * More than a hundred activists spoke at the rallies. (https://jam-news.net/who-is-the-half-jamaican-participant-of-the-tbilisi-protests/)
 * Among them was Luka, half-Jamaican, half-Georgian teenager
 * The Shame Movement was created during the rally (https://jam-news.net/today-we-are-the-main-target-georgian-journalists-found-themselves-at-the-forefront-of-political-struggle/)
 * By the mid 20s of June, the pages 'Society of Freedom Spreaders' and 'For Freedom' were organizing the rallies (https://oc-media.org/protesters-in-tbilisi-march-to-ivanishvili-s-residence-to-interrupt-his-sleep/)
 * Malkhaz Machalikashvili was also one of the speakers. His nephew Moris Machalikashvili was one of those arrested in July (https://oc-media.org/five-more-arrested-over-20-june-tbilisi-rally-violence/)
 * For Freedom was also one of those organizing the protests. It was led by Shota Dighmelashvili (https://oc-media.org/georgian-dream-mps-block-switch-to-fully-proportional-electoral-system/)
 * Giga Bokeria (MP) denied on the first day that political leaders had any role in organizing the protests (https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/thousands-of-protesters-try-to-storm-georgia-parliament/)
 * On June 21, Gigi Ugulava was approaching the podium, although it is likely he was going to give an interview on television. He was met with წადი წადი chants (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013194.html)
 * One of the main organizing groups was the Freedom Propagation |Society (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013259.html)
 * Led by DRI founder Giorgi Mshvenieradze (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30014320.html)
 * June 22: No political leader is allowed to speak. Small dispute caused as Giga Bokeria and Zaal Udumashvili are seen in front of Parliament (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30014278.html)
 * On June 22, one of the speakers called for the return of Saakashvili and was met with shouting (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30014403.html)
 * The immunity removal from Melia o June 26 warmed protesters to the idea of political leaders taking a larger role in the process. Samadashvili made a speech that evening (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30022178.html)
 * Giga Makarashvili received death threats from GD supporters in July (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30033322.html)
 * Zuka Berdzenishvili was one of the prominent protest leaders in the summer (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30042834.html)
 * In mid-July, protest organization every day cost 1,500-2000 GEL, which organizers collected through private donations (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30053997.html)
 * To cover the costs, protest leaders organized flea markets in July from which 20% of the proceedings helped pay (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30079790.html)

Number of protesters

 * The Guardian estimated protesters at 10,000
 * Local media sources estimated the crowd to be at 30,000 the first night (https://jam-news.net/protestors-in-tbilisi-trying-to-get-into-parliament-building/)
 * On the second day of protests, there were thousands (https://www.rferl.org/a/georgian-police-control-tbilisi-after-night-protest-russia-speaker-parliament/30011695.html)
 * And on the third day (https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-protests-anti-russia-parliament-tbilisi/30013741.html)
 * And on June 23 (https://www.rferl.org/a/protests-resume-in-georgian-capital-for-fourth-night/30015537.html)
 * June 22: Low thousands (https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-shame-movement-dighmelashvili-protests/31924835.html)
 * Emerging Europe corroborated the 10,000 number on June 20 (https://emerging-europe.com/news/russian-mp-sparks-violent-protests-in-georgia/)
 * NEE contributor Anastasia Mgaloblishvili reported over 20,000 reporters on June 20 (https://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/06/24/its-a-shame/)
 * Lot smaller crowds in July

MIA forces

 * Giorgi Kakichashvili was the Director of the Special Tasks Department at the time and was in charge of police on location during the clashes (https://oc-media.org/gakharia-failed-to-act-but-did-not-give-order-to-use-rubber-bullets-public-defender-reports/)
 * He was fired two weeks after the clashes
 * According to the PDO report, Kakichashvili was moving throughout the territory and receiving updates in person and via radio. He claims that he found out about the use of rubber bullets by specific police officers through the radio (https://georgiatoday.ge/ombudsman-report-gakharia-did-not-order-to-use-rubber-bullets-at-june-20-21-rally-dispersal/)
 * According to Givi Targamadze (EG), the total number of law enforcement officers on June 20 was 15,000 law enforcement officers, 100 snipers. A total of 18,000 shots were fired (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30033231.html)
 * Law enforcement was brought into Tbilisi from various regions, including units from the occupation line
 * Divisions I, II, and III of the Department of Special Tasks, Divisions of Kakheti, Adjara, Zugdidi, Rustavi, Mtskheta, Tbilisi, Gori, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Border Protection Department, Emergency Situation Center, Special Department of State Protection, Penitentiary Department
 * The shots include gas and rubber bullets
 * Snipers fired red bullets from 50 Winchesters for a total of 100 shooters
 * At the beginning of the rally, there were 7,000 policemen mobilized in front of Parliament, making any storming improbable
 * MIA denied the involvement of units from the OL checkpoints, although it admitted bringing units from outside the city
 * Later, the MIA also denied any Justice special units involvement (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30034884.html)

Use of disproportionate force

 * On June 21, 39 CSOs issued a statement expressing grave concern over the disproportionate use of force by the police that went beyond the boundaries of law (https://civil.ge/archives/309749)
 * The statement reads: 'In spite of clear requirements envisaged by Georgian law, the respective bodies didn’t provide the protesters with a clear message that the force will be used if the demonstrators did not voluntarily disperse. Moreover, the use of special means, including the intensity, form and purpose of their use were very problematic'
 * CSOs pointed out that rubber bullets were aimed from a short distance at the face and head area of the protests, leaving the impression that the purpose was to inflict injuries instead of dispersing the protest
 * They called on the Prosecutor's Office to conduct a thorough and objective investigation into the instances of the police's use of disproportionate force, arbitrary arrests, physical violence against the arrested protesters
 * On June 21, Amnesty International issued a statement calling for an immediate, thorough and independent investigation into use of force by riot police in Georgia, after protesters in Tbilisi were hit with rubber bullets and tear gas
 * Giorgi Gogia of HRW said 'even when police have grounds to disperse unlawful protests, they do not have carte blanche to do so with violence.'
 * On June 24, the Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation on charges of exceeding official powers by the police, under Article 333 of the Criminal Code, giving prosecutors freedom to prosecute from a monetary fine to house arrest of up to 2 years, imprisonment of up to 3 years, or a ban on the holding of public positions for up to 3 years (https://civil.ge/archives/310407)
 * The Office called on demonstrators to provide evidence and engaged the Public Defender's Office
 * Also that same day, the MIA suspended 10 police officers pending investigation. Two of their cases were referred to the Prosecutor
 * The Public Defender stated that she would engage if her office had full access to the investigation materials for the purpose of carrying out the supervisory function. She announced the formation of a Public Advisory Council under her office with HR organizations, rally leaders, and international experts
 * 2 people lost an eye due to rubber bullets (https://civil.ge/archives/311161)
 * Gakharia rejected the notion that rubber bullets were lethal and said their use was absolutely legal
 * On July 2, the PDO announced it would launch a monitoring of the Prosecutor's case on excess use of force (https://civil.ge/archives/311696)
 * police officer arrested for exceeding use of force on july 15 (https://civil.ge/archives/313262)
 * Another officer was arrested on July 16 (https://civil.ge/archives/313445)
 * Gakharia was summoned to the Prosecutor's Office on July 18 (https://civil.ge/archives/313620)
 * Another police officer was charged on August 28 (https://civil.ge/archives/318141)
 * On Sep 7, during a confirmation hearing for PM< Gakharia said that UNM "counting [injured people] – the more victims the better – [they] wanted to use this for their political intentions. We should not allow them [to achieve this goal], this will be our key goal," (https://civil.ge/archives/319373)
 * Gakharia said that the police was legally allowed to use special means to disperse a direct attack woithout warning
 * According to the MIA, a total of 800 non-lethal bullets were used
 * ON Sep 27, one of the police officers was released on bail, leading to criticism by opposition, leading to an impromptu protest by Sirtskhvilia called Selective Justice is a Shame in front of the Tbilisi City Court (https://civil.ge/archives/322201)
 * On October 28, the Tbilisi City Court refused to grant victim status to 16 persons, including eight journalists, who sustained injuries on June 20 (https://civil.ge/archives/324431)
 * On October 7, the Prosecutor's Office had recognized 67 police officers and 4 civilians as victims
 * The court ruled that no crime had been committed, therefore there would be no victim status
 * The decision was condemned by GYLA
 * Mako Gomuri and Giorgi Sulashvili were among the two who were denied victim status (https://civil.ge/archives/325170)
 * On 24 September 2021, the Tbilisi City court ordered the MIA to pay Luka Petriashvili 35,000 GEL in comepnsation for injuries (https://civil.ge/archives/442299)
 * This was the first case won by the protesters, amidst accusations that the court had drawn out cases
 * Ghia Nodia: "“In this case, the dispersal process itself was, on the one hand, unprofessional, and on the other hand, unjustifiably cruel. The use of rubber bullets can be justified only by the fact that they are less dangerous than real bullets. But they were used when there were no threats of seizure of the parliament building. Rubber bullets were shot at people in the streets and squares. This can not be justified." (https://jam-news.net/tbilisi-protests-what-this-means-and-what-to-expect/)
 * In his interview with TV Pirveli, Gakharia said that Bidzina partially agreed with his response to the protest, although he also saw a need for an investigation in the use of excessive force (https://jam-news.net/georgian-interior-minister-responsible-for-brutal-protest-dispersal-i-dont-plan-on-resigning/)
 * Two people lost an eye: 18-year-old Mako Gomuri and 26-year-old Giorgi Sulashvili. They were recognized as victims five months later (https://jam-news.net/gavrilov-nights-anniversary-how-june-20-became-symbol-of-violent-opposition-crackdown-back-in-2019/)
 * In the night of June 20, the MOH stated: ‘Two surgeries are currently underway. The condition of one patient is critical […] 102 remain in hospital. Most of the injuries involved trauma, bruising, and eye trauma’ (https://oc-media.org/thousands-clash-with-police-as-protesters-try-to-storm-georgian-parliament/)
 * One was still on life support on June 28 (https://oc-media.org/protesters-in-tbilisi-march-to-ivanishvili-s-residence-to-interrupt-his-sleep/)
 * Kakachishvili claims having heard about the use of rubber bullets by radio but a PDO investigation found no such transmission, indicating he was the one to give the order in person (https://georgiatoday.ge/ombudsman-report-gakharia-did-not-order-to-use-rubber-bullets-at-june-20-21-rally-dispersal/)
 * Article 42 and Human Righs Center offered free legal assistance to victims (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012235.html)
 * Some who were shot in the eye were able to have successful eye surgery (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013976.html)
 * Citizen video footage revealed that in the early hours of June 21, one protester was caught by police officers on a one-story roof in Vera and thrown down from the roof by the officers (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30031716.html)
 * Eka Beselia criticized the small-level investigations launched against individual police officers. She believed Gakharia held responsibility for not stopping the special forces (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30037088.html)
 * At a closed door political experts, Gakharia may have admitted having given the order to disperse (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30047356.html)
 * Later in July, Deputy Interior Ministe Kakha Sabanadze said that peaceful protesters were not harmed (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30056307.html)
 * Mako Gomur, Dato Kurdovanidze and Giorgi Sulashvili lost their sight that night. (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30056537.html)
 * Moris Machalikashvili, nephew of Malkhaz, was arrested in July. EMC called for his release (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30081469.html)
 * Davit Pharadashvili, one of the most critically injured, was taken for further treatment in Germany in July 30 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30083604.html)
 * MP Elene Khoshtaria of EG complained about the lack of transparency in detentions, claiming having been able to identify only 11 people under arrest in August (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30090818.html)

Allegations of coup attempt

 * In an interview on June 22, Talakvadze (before confirmation) accused "certain forces" of taking advantage of the situation and trying to use "justified publi protest and peaceful manifestation of their political objectives" to "regain power" - he was hinting at UNM (https://civil.ge/archives/310127)
 * On June 25, the Prosecutor's Office requested Parliament to lift immunity of Nika Melia, who was summoned the next day to be formally charged for inciting and heading mass violence (https://civil.ge/archives/310664)
 * On June 25, Gharibashvili (political secretary of GD) said that the government averted a coup by "anti-national, anti-state force, the UNM" (https://civil.ge/archives/310767)
 * Nika Melia's immunity was lifted by Parliament on June 26 in a 91-0 vote. The decision was commented on by Dekanoidze who said "dictatorship has been formalized in Georgia" (https://civil.ge/archives/310798)
 * He was allowed to avoid detention with a 30,000 GEL bail on June 27 (https://civil.ge/archives/310948)
 * In his first appearance, Gakharia stated that the situation after 2200 was a "physical, violent, storming of a state institution aimed at changing the government' (https://civil.ge/archives/311161)
 * On July 2, the Court of Appeals upheld Melia's bail ruling and required him to wear an ankle bracelet (https://civil.ge/archives/311639)
 * On July 4, the Prosecutor's Office announced tha tthe collected material evidence and testimonies of tens of witnesses proved that "a group of individuals plotted a violent overthrow of the government followed by seizing of power" (https://civil.ge/archives/311967)
 * According to the office, the first phase of the coup was storming the parliament, followed by "criminal actions" throughout the country (those were "neutralized through efforts of law enforcement but no detail was given)
 * Ths led to aggravation of potential charges, now moving to an investigation under Article 315 (from Article 225) on "conspiracy or insurrection aimed at changing the constitutional order through violence", foreseeing 15-20 years in prison
 * Gigi Ugulava (EG) and Okruashvili (VG) and Baramidze (UNM) were summoned for questioning
 * This wasn't the first time that GD had claimed coup attempts: ahead of the 2014 local elections, 2015, 2016 parliamentary elections, 2017, 2018 presidential election (https://civil.ge/archives/312119)
 * Okruashvili was arrested on 25 July on charges of organizing, leading and participating in mass violence (https://civil.ge/archives/314916)
 * The court ruled pretrial detention on July 27 (https://civil.ge/archives/315067)
 * GD once again lifted Melia's immunity on February 17, 2021. The move was welcomed by Gavrilov (https://civil.ge/archives/398379)
 * The EU agreed to pay the bail for Nika Melia during the 19 April agreement episode (https://civil.ge/archives/416051)
 * In the midst of the protest, Okruashvili told Rustavi 2: either the police will let the demonstrators through or the people will use their constitutitonal right. we are going to return to the people the power that invanishvili has taken from them (https://jam-news.net/protestors-in-tbilisi-trying-to-get-into-parliament-building/)
 * Okruashvili case: MIA claimed that he and his party called on protesters to break into Parliament (https://jam-news.net/former-georgian-minister-of-defence-irakli-okruashvili-detained/)
 * His party immediately called him a political prisoner
 * Amongst the 19 detained by 25 July was Bezhan Lortkipanidze, a famous vet and head of the species conservation program at the Nekresi species conservation center. He was denied bail (https://jam-news.net/georgian-zoo-vet-denied-bail-in-june-20-parliament-raid-case/)
 * Melia's first arrest: he was released on June 27 with the 30,000 bail on the condition that he not addresses the public with political calls and leave his residence without warning the authorities. He was also banned from communicating with witnesses (https://oc-media.org/protesters-in-tbilisi-march-to-ivanishvili-s-residence-to-interrupt-his-sleep/)
 * oN jULY 4, THE pROSECUTOR'S oFFICE ANNOUNCED A SERIES OF INVESTIGATIONS into senior opposition leaders for attempting to overthrow the government with violence (https://oc-media.org/georgian-prosecutors-probe-opposition-for-rebellion/)
 * The office said it was investigating Melia and other unnamed figures in the opposition
 * Rebellion can be punishable by 15-20 years in prison
 * 16 Georgian parties declared the investigation "the best example of anti-democratic rule in Georgia'
 * Including EG, RP, FD, LP, arguing that the measures restricting the political activities of an MP were in contradiction with the constitution
 * Though names were not told in the investigation, Ugulava, Baramidze, and Okruashvili confirmed they were being treated as witnesses and summoned to the MIA for questioning
 * In April 2020, the Tbilisi City Court acquitted Okruashvili of leading group violence, but sentenced him to 5 years in prison for participation (https://oc-media.org/gakharia-failed-to-act-but-did-not-give-order-to-use-rubber-bullets-public-defender-reports/)
 * In August 2022, People's Power MPs insinuated that the Gavrilov Night was part of a plot by Gakharia to overthrow the government, with help from the US government (https://oc-media.org/ivanishvili-supporters-accuse-the-us-of-attempting-coup-in-georgia/)
 * Zourabichvili blamed a fifth column stoking the unrest, which de Waal associated with Saakashvili and UNM (https://www.rferl.org/a/q-a-tbilisi-violence-was-an-accident-waiting-to-happen-/30013021.html)
 * On JUne 28, Bakhtadze claimed that the storming attempt was an attempted coup, in the same category as the Tbilisi War and the Rose Revolution (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30025716.html)
 * Nika Melia's house arrest was considered as unconstitutional for the oppositon, as it limited his powers as an MP (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30036383.html)
 * 4 July : Prosecutor's Office issues statement that individuals "planned to violently overthrow and take over the state government through rebellion" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30036911.html)
 * Gia Volski would claim that the Gabunia TV ramp was a second coup attempt (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30042886.html)
 * On July 8., Irakli Kobakhidze called UNM an enemy (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30044188.html)
 * On July 11, Dekanoidze, Bachuki, Gubazi, and Irakli Glonti were summoned for questioning by the MIA (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30050189.html)
 * As part of the coup investigation, Grigol Vashadze was also questioned on July 18. He denied all coup attempts, even saying "I don't know a coup that doesn't even have normal sound equipment" He then added that the falsification of the events will not bring anything good (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30062423.html)

Attacks on journalists

 * Sep 7 confirmation hearing: Responding to the question about targeting journalists, Gakharia said unfortunately there are no regulations requiring the journalists to visibly identify themselves during mass rallies. He said in each of the cases, the journalists were injured accidentally, rather than targeted deliberately. (https://civil.ge/archives/319373)
 * On June 21, the Charter of Journalistic Ethics organized a rally in front of the MIA to demand the prosecution of police officers that shot rubber bullets at 'identifiable' members of the press and obstructed their professional activities (https://oc-media.org/georgian-parliamentary-speaker-resigns-amidst-anti-russia-protests/)
 * According to the Charter, 31 journalists were hurt
 * OC Media reported over 35 journalists injured, including its own Mari Nikuradze (https://oc-media.org/protesters-in-tbilisi-march-to-ivanishvili-s-residence-to-interrupt-his-sleep/)
 * Video footage showed an officer deliberately targeting a film crew with his weapon (https://oc-media.org/georgian-prosecutors-probe-opposition-for-rebellion/)
 * Wojciech Wojtasiewicz (Polish journalist) revealed that on June 20, upon returning to his hotel, he was surrounded by a group of undercover police officers who wanted to detain him as a protester. "Their aggression, shouting and pulling only halted when I showed them my press ID and explained that I am a Polish journalist." He said he was forced to delete some footage. (https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/09/14/journalism-is-becoming-an-increasingly-dangerous-profession-in-georgia/)
 * Reuters correspondant Maka Antidze had a broken rib. On.ge's Gvantsa Nemsadze and Ana Vakhtangadze were hit by rubber bullets. A GPB cameraman was transferred to Ingoroqva Clinic after being hit by a rubber bullet. TV Pirveli and Rustavi 2 were injuyred by rubber bullets. Tornike Koshkadze of IPN was inured. Also Radio Liberty cameraman (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011198.html)
 * Netgazeti journalist Giorgi Diasamidze was physically and verbally abused
 * According to the Charter, journalists were targeted even after they made their journalistic activities well known
 * GPB confirmed that Nika Mukhigulashvili, its journalist, was arrested and beaten by the polcie after showing his journalist card. This was in the morning by Philharmonic (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011799.html)
 * The Coalition for Media Advocacy condemned the attacks on journalists, stating that law enforcement broke the law under Article 154 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012250.html)
 * They called for immediate investigation and compensation
 * The Charter identified 33 media representatives injured from Civil.ge, Rustavi 2, Kavkaz Uzel (Beslan Kmuzov, hit in the face by a rubber bullet), Reuters, TV Pirveli, On.ge, Netgazeti, GPB, OC Media, Radio Liberty, and IPN (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012435.html)
 * Don't Shoot protest in front of the MIA on June 21 by journbalists (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012591.html)
 * Also in Gori in front of the police HQ (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012611.html)
 * Also in Kutaisi (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012637.html)
 * Harlem Desir condemned violence on the media: This is a serious obstacle to pluralism and media freedom (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013074.html)
 * On July 9, a Tabula car was confiscated by the authorities and all the equipment inside after it was involved in a minor accident on Rustaveli Avenue. Head Chergo said it was done to prevent her from doing her journalistic activities (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30044924.html)
 * On July 8, the Charter reported seevral aggressive acts by far-right groups against journalists on Rustaveli Ave (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30045683.html)
 * The Charter criticized the fact that no investigation had been launhced on attacks against journalists (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30077364.html)

Alleged involvement of domestic intelligence

 * In March 2021, a SUS agent, Ivane Gulashvili, gave a controversial interview to Mtavari Arkhi in which he revealed several orders allegedly given out during the night of June 20 (https://jam-news.net/georgian-dep-minister-of-internal-affairs-resigns-following-video-tape-scandal/)
 * Along those orders: damage of a large screen installed in front of Parliament
 * Disabling of microphones and loudspeakers
 * Removal of footage from CCTVs
 * Installation of a GPS tracking device on the bottom of Rurua's car
 * TV Pirveli released leaked video footage recorded in the office of then-Deputy MIA Kakha Sabanadze confirming he handed out those orders
 * Another layer of intrigue: some believe that the whole situation is a set-up, as it happened after Gakharia's resignation, and may have been an attempt to get rid of Sabanadze, a Gakharia ally. Although this does not deny the possibility of the footage's veracity
 * Kakha Sabanadze resigned as a result


 * Allegations of participation of GD youth wing and provocateurs by members of European Georgia
 * Natia Beridze, at the time a journalist from Es Persona, claimed having recorded on her phone a discussion betwee members of the opposition, including Melia, Ugulava, Vashadze, and Gvaramia, to plan violent actions for another rose revolution (https://oc-media.org/georgian-prosecutors-probe-opposition-for-rebellion/)
 * Gigi Ugulava alleged that youth that threw bottles at him on June 21 as he was approaching the podium may have been GD provocateurs (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013248.html)
 * During the June 26 parliamentary hearing on removing MP Melia's immunity, UNM Faction chair Roman Gotsiridze alleged that witnesses presented by the Prosecutor's Office were SUS agents who were present during the protest and tailing him (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30021206.html)
 * MP Bokuchava presented evidence that out of 6 witnesses, four were on the SUS payroll and 2 were GD activists (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30021371.html)
 * Myth Detector identified fake accounts on FB and VKontakte claiming to be Freedom Spreading Society and mostly propped up by bots (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30021595.html)
 * ISFED and blogger Shota Narsia published a report on 1 July about the use of Facebook to discredit the protests (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30030203.html)

Government reshuffle

 * Kobakhidze resigned on 21 June after a meeting of GD's Political Council and was replaced with Talakvadze (https://civil.ge/archives/309687)
 * Oto Kobakhidze responded to that saying that unlike Saakashvili's 2007 resignation, Kobakhidze held no real power and the problem was with Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/309677)
 * UNM and EG boycotted the Talakvadze vote on June 25 (https://civil.ge/archives/310576)
 * Bakhtadze resigned on September 2 (https://civil.ge/archives/318544)
 * Bidzina Gegidze (MP-Vake) was dismissed from GD on September 1. He had voted against Melia's immunity removal. Two weeks prior, he had been summoned by SUS over a corruption probe into his time as Georgian Post head (https://civil.ge/archives/318581)
 * Gakharia was nominated by Ivanishvili to take over as PM (https://civil.ge/archives/318667)
 * Civil.ge named his appointment as "baby-faced frontmen are out, and the war cabinet is in" (https://civil.ge/archives/318676)
 * The decision to appoint Gakharia angered the opposition, with Bakradze calling it an open war on the Georgian people and Kordzaia "an insult to the dignity of each and every one of us" (https://civil.ge/archives/318815)
 * During confirmation hearings, Samadashvili called Gakharia a murderer (https://civil.ge/archives/319373)
 * Bokuchava said he should be answering questions as a defendant
 * ON Sep 10, GD MP Shota Shalelashvili, a frequent critique of the government, resigned (https://civil.ge/archives/319749)
 * Kobakhidze made a political comeback during the 2020 election (https://civil.ge/archives/387978)
 * Gegidze had previously called for Gakharia's resignation (https://jam-news.net/georgian-parliamentary-opposition-leaves-session-in-protest/)
 * Nugzar Khutsiberidze was removed as acting head of Kutaisi City Hall Supervision Service for making an obscene comment about those who lost their eye in the protest. He had said: რა უნდოდა, შტურმით რატომ იღებდა პარლამენტს, ასე რომ, სამწუხაროდ, ზოგს თვალში მოხვდა და ზოგს ტ...კში, არეულ ბრბოში ვერ განსაზღვრავ (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30014375.html)
 * According to Gigi Ugulava, Mikheil Giorgadze was forced to resign as Deputy Minister of Education, Culture and Science because of the large presence of cultural people on Rustaveli (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30038645.html)

Political crisis

 * GD introduced constitutional amendments related to the proportional system on July 1 (https://civil.ge/archives/311603)
 * It cancelled majoritarian districts and set up a natural threshold (0.67%)
 * Although this would have only worked for 2020, and not 2024 which operates with a 5% threshold
 * EG said it would take part in the discussions
 * Same with UNM


 * Melia was arrested on Feb 23, 2021 (https://civil.ge/archives/400653)
 * Mass demonstrations took place outside of the CHancellery, from where they marched to Rustaveli Ave and set up tents in front of Parliament


 * Authorities sought to arrest Melia. Gakharia resigned. Melia was arrested. Charles Michel intervened. 19 April Agreement. GD cancels Agreement prior to local elections. Saakashvili returns to Georgia. His arrest.


 * It was during the November protests that Nika Melia removed his bracelet as a symbol of injustice, in response to which the court increased his bail to 40,000 GEL, which Melia refused to pay. This oled to his arrest (https://jam-news.net/georgias-political-crisis-explained/)
 * Toward the end of July, suspicions rose about the potential of GD walking back on its proportional promise (https://oc-media.org/features/suspicions-grow-of-a-georgian-dream-backtrack-on-proportional-elections/)
 * Aleko Elisashvili claimed that no concrete step had been taken


 * Despite the 8 March agreement, Okruashvili was sentenced to 5 years in prison in April 2020 (https://oc-media.org/gakharia-failed-to-act-but-did-not-give-order-to-use-rubber-bullets-public-defender-reports/)
 * Melia's immunity was stripped a second time in February 2021 (https://oc-media.org/georgian-parliament-again-deprives-opposition-leader-of-immunity/)
 * Leading to an attempt at his arrest, Gakharia's resignation, his eventual arrest, Michel's arrival, Danielsson negotiations, 19 April Agreement

Amnesty

 * The April 19 agreement envisioned an amnesty. Nika Melia was strongly against it and instructed his party not to sign the agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/416051)
 * Melia wanted an amnesty to only cover the protesters, not the police officers
 * He called it a shameful attempt to rewrite history
 * CSOs, political parties and civilians injured in the protest were opposed to the amnesty
 * Despite large calls for a compromise, pushed by the President and the European Union, Melia was categorically against any form of amnesty that would lead to the freedom of police officers, stating during an April 13 court hearing that the opposition should "under no circumstance agree to an amnesty in order to improve his situation" (https://jam-news.net/georgia-prominent-opposition-figure-to-remain-under-arrest/)
 * He was released on 9 May when the EU posted his bail of 40,000 GEL (https://jam-news.net/georgian-opposition-leader-melia-released-from-prison-after-eu-pays-the-bail/)
 * The 8 March agreement provided for the release of those arrested during the protests. Besik Tamliani was the last one to be released on pre-trial bail (https://oc-media.org/gakharia-failed-to-act-but-did-not-give-order-to-use-rubber-bullets-public-defender-reports/)
 * But the release of Tamliani was a temporary improvement. In April 2020, Okruashvili was sentenced to five years in prison
 * Originally, by October 2019, 16 people had been indicted for group violence. This led to Shame Movement organizing protests outside the Gldani Prison where they were held (https://oc-media.org/protests-outside-tbilisi-prison-in-support-of-gavrilov-s-prisoners/)
 * Some, like Besik Tamliani, launched a hunger strike. So was Levan Jikuri.
 * The 16 were labeled Gavrilov's Prisoners
 * Rurua agreed to be pardoned if June 20 victims OKd a amnesty bill (https://georgiatoday.ge/rurua-on-amnesty-if-victims-of-june-20-forgive-i-will-not-oppose-pardon/)

Analysis and legacy

 * Part of the Rustaveli Avenue Politics, a term coined by Ghia Nodia (https://civil.ge/archives/311863)
 * There was a sharp increase in the use of social media to provide constant cverage and organizational support, though the trend started around 2011-2012
 * Though pro-government trolls and bots had been used in the past, this was the first use of a planned, coordinate social media campaign to counter opponents
 * in a July study by the MDF, 32 pro-government trolls were actively involved in countering protests and were used previously to discredit political opponents and CSOs
 * ISFED noted a surge in mud-slinging pro-government pages following the protest, with some using sponsored ads. The CSO also noted that political figures, like Kaladze, used rhetoric previously tested by trolls
 * Civil.ge noted an aggressive use of omophobic attacks against protest leaders, including the use of fabricated images featuring political leaders, arguing that only Pride supporters demanded the resignation of Gakharia
 * These led to call for the regulation of social media ahead of the 2020 election
 * Many saw a rapid shift in the government's domestic policy following the protests. The Rustavi 2 case ruling by the ECHR led the way for prosecution of Nika Gvaramia
 * Mamuka Mdinaradze called it the Gavrilov Revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/318815)
 * THe use of social media against opponents came back during the Gakharia confirmation hearings, with several pages attacking CSOs (https://civil.ge/archives/319543)
 * When Georgia took the PACE presidency, it refused to host the session in Georgia out of fear of a repetition of events, instead agreeing for Strasbourg (https://civil.ge/archives/340104)
 * On JUne 20, 2020, protesters marked one year in the midst of the pandemic, maintaining social distancing (https://civil.ge/archives/356879)
 * In February 2021, Goga Khaindrava made the allegation that Gavrilov was in coohoots with Khoshtaria (https://civil.ge/archives/398379)
 * In 2021, Mtavari Arkhi changed the names of GD MPs to Gavrilov (https://civil.ge/archives/401071)
 * Another rally in memory in 2021 (https://civil.ge/archives/428622)
 * According to French journalist Regis Gente, the crisis led to a protracted political crisis that continues to last to this day: Parliament fails electoral amendments, parliamentary boycott, 8 March agreement, Rurua not pardoned, electoral fraud allegations, Melia arrest and Gakharia resignation, 19 April agreement and its cancellation, Saakashvili's return, anti-European shift (https://civil.ge/archives/432665)
 * As the government started rejecting entry to Russian opposition leaders in 2022, some of them rose concern that they allowed Gavrilov in but not them (https://civil.ge/archives/470946)
 * 2022: Activists schedule a rally on that day in anticipation of the EU response on Georgia's candidacy, scheduled to start at 2000 in front of Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/495865)
 * In response, Gharibashvili vowed "no mercy against illegal action" at the march. He said, "do not yield to this provocation, we won’t have any mercy on any illegal action, we the government will use the rights and the power(s) provided by the law to protect the peace of our citizens and the stability of our country"
 * He accused the protesters of wanting to drag Georgia into war
 * The rally was called Going Home-to EUrope
 * Dutch foreign policy analyst Jelger Groenveld stated that Gavrilov's night "might have served as a symbolic turning point... The consecutive political crises that followed saw both US and EU mediation efforts frustrated as the Georgian government proved unwilling to compromise with the opposition and international interlocutors" (https://civil.ge/archives/524117)
 * JamNews states: Although the protest had been brewing for a long time and was associated with deep discontent in society with the policies of the ruling Georgian Dream party and personally its leader billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, State Duma Deputy Sergei Gavrilov was the immediate cause of the street protests. (https://jam-news.net/tbilisi-protests-what-this-means-and-what-to-expect/)
 * Ghia Nodia, chairman of the caucsusu institute for peace, democracy and development, compared the events to the 2007 and 2011 dispersions, but noted that the government then paid a high politicla price and that now, GD had done much worse
 * Gia Khukhashvili, former advisor to PM Ivanishvili, said that GD had become the successor of UNM
 * The rise in youth was a surprise for the older generation. In reality, the new generation sparsely spoke Russian, had never visited Russia, etc. (https://jam-news.net/georgia-political-crisis-the-oligarch-besieged-from-all-sides/)
 * A study released in July 2019 by ISFED showed that pro-government pages, including Ori gvami undat, Ikavi da Gageketebina, and Verdabrundebian were active in targeting protest leaders (https://jam-news.net/georgian-govt-using-facebook-trolls-fake-news-sites-to-deal-with-protests/)
 * The messaging implied that protests were led by UNM and thus were meant to destabilize the country, that special forces were victims, demonstrators were aggressors.
 * Messaging was usually the same, sometimes using the same photo and video materials, sometimes similar texts
 * Direct ties with the government or GD are shown in that the same rhetoric was used by other partisan pages
 * No study shows how much money was spent, but there was a large amount of sponsored ads
 * Some of the sponsored messaging included homophobic and anti-Western messages
 * On top of that, there were also several new fake news websites that appeared around that time
 * Khazaradze cited June 20 as the red line that pushed him to launch his public movement (https://jam-news.net/georgian-politics-heat-up-founder-of-largest-bank-announces-civic-movement/)
 * The Gavrilov events influenced the Georgian government to reject hosting the COE ministerial in 2020 (https://jam-news.net/is-russian-foreign-minister-sergei-lavrov-coming-to-georgia/)
 * Kobakhidze's return, the failing of the proportional amendments, and other developments indicated that Ivanishvili walked back all of his promises (https://jam-news.net/op-ed-georgia-the-vengeance-of-the-oligarch/)
 * During the one-year annoiversary, protesters complained that abuse of power was not investigated, Gakharia was promoted, victims were not recognized, proportional elections failed (https://jam-news.net/tbilisi-crackdown-of-protest-rally-anniversary-coronavirus-putin/)
 * Memorial protest in 2022 (https://jam-news.net/gavrilov-nights-anniversary-how-june-20-became-symbol-of-violent-opposition-crackdown-back-in-2019/)
 * In multiple protests following the Gavrilov protests, demonstrators would showcase pictures of people injured on June 20 (https://oc-media.org/georgian-authorities-clear-parliament-protest-camp-for-new-year-s-amusement-park/)
 * For many analysts, the June 20 events were a catalyst for a much larger political crisis that would continue to this day and would eventually lead to the failure of receiving the EU candidacy (https://oc-media.org/opinions/editorial-georgia-squanders-a-historic-chance/)
 * The one-year anniversary protest featured Margvelashvili, who condemned government violence (https://oc-media.org/protesters-mark-gavrilovs-night-anniversary-in-tbilisi/)
 * At the time, the front of parliament was fenced off because of the park project
 * smaller memorial rallies were held in Kutaisi and Batumi
 * Fir many, Gakharia's political comeback was not enough to forgive the 20 June events. When he announced his party in May 2021 at Expo Georgia, protesters outside on Tsereteli Avenue greeted him with banners featuring bloody scenes from the protests. Those were led by Movement for Georgia and Shame Movement (https://georgiatoday.ge/activists-holding-rally-in-parallel-with-ex-pm-gakharias-party-presentation/)
 * Youth movements developed rapidly after the June 20 protests. Street art often featured scenes from the breakup of the protests and young people facing the police (https://georgiatoday.ge/street-art-of-tbilisi/)
 * Thousands gathered on the one-year anniversary (https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-russia-protests-tbilisi/30681801.html)
 * Some observers have noted a deterioration of relations between Georgia and the United States starting with June 20 (https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/09/10/western-pressure-intensifies-towards-the-georgian-dream-is-georgian-democracy-backsliding/)
 * According to journalist Khvicha Vashakmadze, GD "ended the conversation" about the nine bloody years with this protest (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012637.html)

Official reports

 * POG convened a special briefing on the evening of June 21 and condemned once again the holding the IAO GA in Parliament as a grave offense to our society, while calling for unity, reconciliation and European path to confront Russia and respond to occupation (https://civil.ge/archives/309824)
 * She interrupted her visit to Minsk
 * On July 5, GD and UNM submitted competing resolutions in Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/312068)
 * GD;s resolution called the protest an attempt at storming the Parliament building and organizing group violence and that the use of force by the police was legitimate
 * UNM's resolution slammed the IPAO session as an act against state interests, instructs the FR and HR committees to impose international sanctions against Gavrilov's list, including those that invited Gavrilov, who used force on June 20, who accused Nika Melia, and those who lifted his immunity, and the Russian delegation
 * During a speech at PACE, zourabichvili said that the events should be divided in two: “There was [the] first uproar of the Georgian society, very spontaneous one to the fact that Russian parliamentary [delegation] was present in the Georgian parliament and held some speeches that were not acceptable to a country that has 20% of its territory occupied [by Russia],” she said, adding: “I did not, and nobody accepted the fact that somebody should be beaten but somebody should also show some restraint.” “But the second part that happened after the departure of Mr. [Sergei] Gavrilov from Georgia after the fact that the Chair of the Parliament of Georgia [Irakli Kobakhidze] resigned because there was this incident and he took the responsibility for this incident,” President Zurabishvili said. (https://civil.ge/archives/336484)
 * According to Zurabishvili, radical opposition leaders were leading attempts “to seize parliament” on the night of June 20, which, she said, endangered the legislative body. “I do not know any European country that would accept that the parliament is seized by force,” she said, noting that “this young democracy has protected itself quite well.”
 * Following a NOvember 2020 meeting between Abashidze and KArasin, the Russian MFA issued a statement about "mutual spirit confirmed to overcome the negatice consequences of the well-known anti-Russian provocation staged by Georgian nationalists in the summer of 2019" (https://civil.ge/archives/384835)
 * This was denounced by the opposition, whuch demanded clarifications from the Georgian MFA
 * Following Gakharia's departure, Kobakhidze claimed that his handling of the crisis raised questions and the team was planning to remove him, but certain forces intervened in his favor (https://civil.ge/archives/427436)
 * Gharibashvli accused Gakharia of poorly planning the operation, recklessly planned operation, because of his deployment of the riot police outside of Parliament, not inside, leading to their beating by protesters for three hours (https://civil.ge/archives/439367)
 * In her 2023 parliamentary speech, President Zourabichvili accused the government of taking incomprehensive steps to go against the country's foreign objective and the people's mandate, including through inviting Gavrilov (https://civil.ge/archives/534643)
 * Speaking in January 2020 to PACE, President Zourabichvili caused controversy by alleging that protesters sought to take over Parliament once Kobakhidze resigned, although the latter resigned the next day (https://jam-news.net/is-russian-foreign-minister-sergei-lavrov-coming-to-georgia/)
 * She also said that "the second phase of the government's response was quite restrained" and that "in many countries of the world, the reaction of authorities to similar events would have been harsher."
 * The Ombudsman for Human Rights in Georgia believes that the investigation of those events “was focused only on crimes committed by ordinary policemen, but could not objectively and fully assess the responsibility of the country’s leadership.” (https://jam-news.net/irakli-kobakhidze-the-controversial-new-leader-of-the-ruling-georgian-dream-party/)
 * The Public Defender's annual report published in April 2020 stated that police officers used non-lethal weapons unlawfully, but they were not ordered to do so by Gakharia (https://oc-media.org/gakharia-failed-to-act-but-did-not-give-order-to-use-rubber-bullets-public-defender-reports/)
 * The report confirmed Gakharia's orders included the use of tear gas and water cannons
 * The report said the use of rubber bullets was illegal because the life and health of officers was not in immediate danger
 * The PDO issued seven recommendations, including the criminal prosecution of former Special Tasks Dept Director Giorgi Kakichashvili, detailed questioning of Gakharia, and a thorough study of electronic communications between Gakharia and his subordinates. None of the recommendations were implemented.
 * The report revealed that not only did Gakharia not order the use of rubber bullets, he warned against their deployment. But he failed in intervening in a timely manner once their use started.
 * The warning by Gakharia against the use of rubber bullets came at 2336. They were shot within the same hour.
 * Kakichashvili had requested additional rubber bullets at 0234 but was denied
 * In her aril 2021 parliamentary speech, Zourabichvili criticized Gavrilov's invitation (https://georgiatoday.ge/salome-zurabishvili-application-for-eu-membership-in-2024-was-not-even-discussed-with-president/)
 * Kakachishvili in a radio transmission at 0016 said that no guns had been fired, even though rubber bullets had already been used minutes ago, as corroborated by live transmission on media (https://georgiatoday.ge/ombudsman-report-gakharia-did-not-order-to-use-rubber-bullets-at-june-20-21-rally-dispersal/)
 * Another order against the use of rubber bullets came in at 0036 but was disregarded
 * Zourabichvili's 2023 parliamentary speech: “In 2019, by bringing Gavrilov, you raised doubts and question marks about the country for the first time, although in reality the change in the government’s foreign course began in 2021, when Mr. Bidzina Ivanishvili, then chairman of the Georgian Dream party, left Georgian politics, and here began a great confusion about who is responsible on this new course. (https://georgiatoday.ge/president-to-gd-you-are-the-govt-that-opposes-the-foreign-goal-of-the-country/)
 * June 20: Zurabishvili called Gavrilov's actions a "major crime" that "damages the country's dignity." But she said the actions of the Russian lawmaker in Georgia's parliament did not justify what she described as "the artificially incited waves [of protest]...and calls made...to storm the parliament and overthrow the government." (https://www.rferl.org/a/georgian-police-control-tbilisi-after-night-protest-russia-speaker-parliament/30011695.html)
 * Salome Zourabichvili called Russia an enemy and occupier whose fifth column was behind the violent unrest in Tbilisi (https://www.euronews.com/2019/06/21/police-fire-rubber-bullets-at-protesters-in-georgia)
 * She said the fifth column may be more dangerous than open aggression
 * On June 21, Gakharia said that "the opposition political parties turned the citizens' sincere protest into violence" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012750.html)
 * On June 22, the President met with the ambassadors of Estonia, Lithuania, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Bulgaria, the US, and the EU to brief them on the situation. She said that foreign actors (indicating Russia) were seeking to destabilize Georgia, which was at the time the only island of stability in the region (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013836.html)

Civil society organizations

 * Tbilisi Pride cancelled its own events scheduled for June 20-23 (https://civil.ge/archives/309847)
 * The Coalition for Media Advocacy condemned the June 20 events as "illegal interference with journalists' professional activities" and called for an immediate investigation and compensation (https://civil.ge/archives/309805)
 * Levan Tsutskiridze of the Eastern European Centre for Multiparty Democracy (EECMD) said: "we can make those responsible for collaborating with Russian policies pay a high political and legal price. We have the passion and the protest charge. What we need now, is strategy." He called the resignation of Kobakhidze and Kutsnashvili as not enough (https://civil.ge/archives/310088)
 * In a statement on June 25, a group of CSOs (TI-Georgia, GDI, ISFED, UNAG) noted that some of the detainees had their right to a fair trial violated as they remained in pre-trial detention five days later (https://civil.ge/archives/310774)
 * Also condemned the use of anonymous Facebook pages discrediting rally participants and organizers
 * Sep 9: 16 CSOs issue a statement on state capture. The statement points out "indictiments and in some cases imprisonments of anti-occupation protesters" as "examples of politically motivated criminal prosecutions (https://civil.ge/archives/319659)
 * Before the events, when Gavrilov was still in Georgia, Eka Gigauri said, "Today, Russia has successfully completed the occupation of all of Georgia! A representative [of Russia] held a meeting of our MPs in parliament! What heartache! As an ordinary citizen of Georgia, I feel humiliated, killed! I remember everything, I have not forgotten the war!" (https://jam-news.net/scandal-in-georgian-parliament-russian-mp-speaks-from-parliamentary-speakers-chair/)


 * HRW, Amnesty International reports
 * On July 28, Giorgi Gogia (SOuth Caucasus Director of HRW) criticized the Georgian courts for accepting blanket reasons to deny bail for protesters, like the risk of leaving the country (https://oc-media.org/five-more-arrested-over-20-june-tbilisi-rally-violence/)
 * Egor Kupotev of the Georgian office of Free Russia Foundation said that the government should apologize for letting Gavrilov in Parliament (https://www.euronews.com/2019/06/21/police-fire-rubber-bullets-at-protesters-in-georgia)


 * The Church issued a statement stating that "unfortunately, the rally held in front of the Parliament building has now taken drastic forms. We call on the population to show common sense and not to follow the emotional background" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011201.html)
 * HRW: Soecuak forces used force without warning" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012083.html)
 * "Police special forces can use legitimate measures to prevent crowds from storming parliament, but they must respect human rights standards when using force, including rubber bullets and tear gas." Giorgi Gogia believes that the police will not follow these standards.
 * "the crowd was largely non-violent, although some protesters threw water bottles at the police. Human Rights Watch monitored the events live and saw several cases where members of the special police force found themselves in the crowd of protesters, which After that, the participants of the rally escorted them safely away".
 * Statement by 30+ NGOs on June 21: https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012664.html
 * Second CXhurch statement, June 21: https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012703.html
 * Amnesty Intl, June 21: We demand an immediate and independent investigation of the forceful actions by the Georgian police. The rubber bullets and tear gas used against protesters (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012771.html)
 * Robert Sturua made public comments bashing the protesters, saying :My Georgia is dead". In response, the Art School Cunilanguage held a performance preparing borsht and cutlets for him in front of Rustaveli Theatre. (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30015199.html)
 * GYLA criticized the 0% threshold as it claimed it would "increase the likelihood of both behind-the-scenes party deals and halting the pace of decision-making (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30017063.html)
 * ISFED also criticized the natural threshold, claimg that it may lead to a large number of parties with very little support entering the legislative body, which will probably have a negative impact on the efficiency of the work of the Parliament (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30017198.html)
 * On June 25, Lasha Bajradze, director of the Museum of Literature, called on the population to signal every day at 1400 (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30018841.html)
 * Poet Zviad Ratiani condemned Bidzina Ivanishvili (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30033251.html)
 * A Juky 2019 report by EMC alleged that the behavior of a certain group of participants of the protest action held on June 20 became uncontrollable and violant and gave the police a legal basis to interfere with the freedom of assembly and stop the demonstration. However, during the break-up of the protest, the police ignored the legal requirements for breaking up the protest, including not properly using negotiation resources. (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30036775.html)
 * Sopio Verdzeuli of the Human Rights Training and Monitoring Center published a post on July 14 in which she stated that violence started as early as 2200 from the activist side and "the violent action of a few dozen people turned a ten-thousand-strong rally into a violent one". That statement was criticized by many protest leaders, who affirmed that the special forces should have been stationed inside Parliament, not outside (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30054533.html)

Public views

 * July NDI poll: 92% said they were "aware" of the events (https://www.ndi.org/sites/default/files/NDI_July_2019_political%20presentation_Eng_vf.pdf)
 * Who is responsible?: 43% - government, 9% - Gakharia, 4% - Bidzina Ivanishvili, 1% - MIA, 1% - police.  UNM - 8%, Opposition - 7%, Protesters - 2%. Everyone equally - 14%
 * 22% said the government used appropriate force, 68% said it used excessive force
 * The poll found similar statistical results with only minor differences despite region, age. Among GD supporters: 45-42 on appropriate-excessive, UNM supports: 4-92, independent: 18-72
 * On the question of whether or not appropriate action was taken against those that used excessive force: 16% yes, 71% no
 * 85% of the country approved the move to a proportional system as pledged by GD, with only 7% opposing
 * 46% agreed with Gakharia's resignation demand, but 39% opposed. Amongst independents, the number was 48-34 agree
 * Overall government response: 2% very good, 20% good (total 23), 43% bad, 15% very bad (total 59). Amongst independents: 66%-17 as bad
 * Carnegie Europe poll of April 2021: 8% viewed Gavrilov night as the largest failure of the government (https://civil.ge/archives/416193)
 * A September-October 2019 poll showed that: 78% of people who understand electoral reform support transition to proportional (https://jam-news.net/survey-41-support-opposition-23-georgian-dream-other-stats/)
 * January 2020 poll by NDI: 45% blame the government for the violence of June 20 (https://oc-media.org/ivanishvili-and-zurabishvili-least-liked-politicians-in-georgia-ndi-poll-reports/)

Western reactions

 * On June 21, Harlem Desir (OSCE) condemned 'all cases of violence and attacks on media workers during last night’s demonstrations in Tbilisi, as serious obstacles to pluralism and media freedom.' (https://civil.ge/archives/309805)
 * Dunja Mijatovic expressed “deep concern” and noted with regret that “dozens of demonstrators, journalists and police officers have sustained injuries, in some cases very severe.” Mijatović then called on all sides “to exercise restraint and to resolve any controversies through peaceful dialogue.” “I also urge the Georgian authorities to carry out prompt and effective investigations into the events in order to ensure accountability for violence and to give clear instructions to the police to guarantee that operations to maintain public order are carried out with due respect of human rights,” Mijatović stated.
 * PACE Polish member Aleksander Pociej voiced his concern over worrying tendencies in Georgia since Gavrilov Night (https://civil.ge/archives/336484)
 * In August 2022, Kelly Degnan said that "it's important for Georgians to remember where this polarization came from." and hinted at Gavrilov's night (https://civil.ge/archives/504751)
 * Ukrainian Ambassador Igor Dolgov in an interview: https://jam-news.net/ukrainian-ambassador-to-georgia-georgias-told-moscow-it-still-remembers-the-occupation/
 * “Moscow has received a clear signal from Georgia that it has not forgiven anything, that no one has forgotten the occupation,”
 * unacceptable for him to listen to a Russian MP “who voted for the annexation of Crimea, who voted to give Putin the right to use troops on the territory of Ukraine, who represents the Russian Duma, who also supported and recognized the so-called “independence” of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”
 * German ambassador Hubert Knirsch arrived at the scene on June 20 and called on protesters to stay calm and peaceful (https://oc-media.org/thousands-clash-with-police-as-protesters-try-to-storm-georgian-parliament/)
 * The US and UK embassies issued a statement that they were 'following very closely the events... We recognize the hurt that many people feel today. We urge all sides to remain calm, show restraint, and act within the framework of the constitution at all times'
 * Gunter Fehlinger, President of Europeans for Tax Reform, stated that the June 20 events, including Gavrilov, was an attempt by Russia to roll back its empire (https://georgiatoday.ge/roll-out-the-euro-in-georgia-as-a-tool-for-its-peaceful-unification-with-europe/)
 * The US Embassy described Okruashvili's sentencing in April 2020 as Political Interference, Selective Use of Justice, expressed concern. "The case casts a shadow over the impartial application of justice" (https://www.rferl.org/a/us-embassy-concerned-as-former-georgian-minister-sentenced/30552646.html)
 * Ambassadors from the UK, Lithuania, and the Netherlands urged a transparent investigation into the events of June 20 (https://emerging-europe.com/news/tbilisi-protests-continue/)
 * Upon the natural threshold announcement, Carl Hartzell said that the events of the last few days have shown us that dialogue, consultation and compromise are necessary to solve the challenges facing the Georgian society (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30017684.html)
 * June 26 US Embassy statement: The US Embassy is closely monitoring the developments in Georgia after the Tbilisi protests on June 20. While it is important to investigate incidents of violence and excessive force against protesters, we call on the government to act with balance and restraint. What is most needed now is a dialogue between all political parties to strengthen Georgia's democracy. (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30022070.html)
 * EU AMbassador Hartzell on June 28: https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30025756.html
 * JUne 28: EU Ambassadors of member states issue a joint statement calling for a "transparent, prompt, effective investigation into the possible use of excessive force on June 20, as well as the incitement to violence that prompted the police response" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30026275.html)

Russia

 * June 20 immediate reactions: (https://civil.ge/archives/309724)
 * Channel 1 – Developments resembling a coup. Last night, a crowd of protesters tried to burst into the Parliament. They demanded resignation of the Parliament Speaker and the Interior Minister, as well as changing the electoral system. The government responded strictly – water cannons, rubber bullets and tear gas. Tens of people from the both sides have sustained injuries. But the protesters are not stepping back. The crowd has been incited by anti-Russian slogans, citing the visit of our delegation to Tbilisi as the pretext. Mikheil Saakashvili is applauding the participants of the unrest from abroad, calling on them to remove the leader of the ruling party. And as if by coincidence, all these developments are taking place just when the President and the Parliament Speaker are on foreign visits. The Interior Ministry of Georgia accused the opposition of an attempted coup. The Russian delegation’s visit could have been used as a pretext for staging mass unrest, which were apparently planned well in advance. Georgia is still on the verge of revolution, like 16 years ago. (https://www.1tv.ru/news/issue/2019-06-21/09:00#1)
 * NTV – Sergei Gavrilov: “Radicals occupied the Parliament in the morning and thwarted our session. They fulfilled two tasks. The first task: blow to the Orthodoxy in Georgia and Georgian-Russian friendly relations. On the other hand, it was a preparation for the second step – an attempted coup to resolve internal political issues. I noticed that all the posters distributed among the so called protesters were prepared and printed in advance. They were targeting Russia and aimed at discrediting this country. We saw the leaders who were speaking American English and leading the so called media representatives.” (https://www.ntv.ru/novosti/2205540/?from=top)
 * Vesti – Georgian radical opposition deliberately used the Russian delegation’s visit to Tbilisi for the 26th session of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) to stage unrest, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gregory Karasin thinks. According to the Russian diplomat, it once again demonstrates emotional drive of a radical part of Georgian politicians. They are doing their utmost to thwart improvement of relations between Georgia and Russia. Konstantin Zatulin, chairman of the Russian State Duma’s committee on CIS issues, notes that not only Georgian radicals, but also Ukrainian lawmakers participated in the attack in the Georgian Parliament. Moscow is concerned about the actions of radicals, who thwarted the session of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy in Tbilisi, the Russian Foreign Ministry reports. Official Tbilisi accused the Russian delegation of staging unrest in the Georgian capital. The Georgian government’s actions during the session of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy go against the rules for holding international events, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. (https://www.vesti.ru/article/1345679)
 * RIA Novosti – Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of television news network RT commented on the protest rally outside the Parliament building in Tbilisi. “How exciting it is to watch Washington-backed Georgian democracy – with its rubber bullets and gas – just from the lair of bloody dictatorship, where tear gas has not been used for about 20 years,” writes Simonyan on her Telegram channel. (https://ria.ru/20190621/1555766615.html)
 * On June 23, Putin convened an emergency session of the Security Council and announced a ban on flights to and from Georgia starting July 8 to "protect Russian citizens from violence or illegal actions" and ordered Russians' evacuation (https://civil.ge/archives/310127)
 * The Russian MFA expressed concern "over the aggravation of the internal political situation in Georgia" and said that members of the Russian delegation were "injured as a result of the actions of the radical Georgian opposition employing anti-Russian slogans", even though no injuries were originally reported
 * The MFA issued a travel advisory warning
 * Ted Jonas wrote that: "Gavrilov’s expulsion embarrassed Putin: embarrassed him because it was a public failure of just the kind of soft power play at which he normally excels; embarrassed him even more that the failed initiative rested on one of his pet programs – using Orthodox Christianity to suppress Georgia’s pro-Western tendencies; and embarrassed him because Georgians made a  public statement to the world that they cannot stand him and have not forgiven Russia for its illegal occupation of 20% of their country’s territory." (https://civil.ge/archives/310329)
 * On July 2, Karasin called it "painful" to see "radicals from Saakashvili's classroom diverting protest rallies into an anti-Russian direction" (https://civil.ge/archives/311665)
 * It was in an interview with Kommersant
 * According to him, the result of the protest was an attack on "all the positive developments in relations between Georgia and Russia that were achieved through joint efforts since 2012"
 * He went further to attack "radicals close to UNM" for bringing the situation "back to deadlock of hostility and confrontation"
 * He said that Moscow would assess risks in advance and block them
 * He denounced Russophobia
 * The United States noted with particular concern Russian travel restrictions and the United States called to refrain from coercive measures (https://civil.ge/archives/311865)
 * EU Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Maja Kocijancic said that the travel restrictions risk having a negatic impact on the citizens of both countries." She called the travel ban "unjustified and disporoportionate"
 * Another wave of tensions started on July 7 because of Gabunia's rant, which led to protesters picketing Rustavi 2, Rustavi 2 going off air for a short time, though Gabunia's words were rapidly condemned by the opposition and the channel (https://civil.ge/archives/312296)
 * This was rapidly condemned by the Russian MFA, calling it an example of russophobia (https://civil.ge/archives/312397)
 * on july 9, the Duma adopted a resolution calling on the Kremlin to impose economic sanctions on Georgia "because of unfriendly actions in Georgia" (https://civil.ge/archives/312796)
 * In response, President Zourabichvili reached out to Moscow, calling on not intervening and emphasizing Georgia's "peaceful policy" (https://civil.ge/archives/312801)
 * Putin eventually announced he would refrain from taking steps that would complicate relations with Georgia due to his respect towards the Georgian people (https://civil.ge/archives/312819)
 * That decision was welcomed by Tbilisi
 * On July 17, Lavrov said that Tbilisi would soon realize the harm and danger of anti-Russian hysteria, and condemned the russophobic attitudes of certain radical representatives of georgias political elite (https://civil.ge/archives/313572)
 * ON Sep 25, Lavrov said: resumption of direct flights with Georgia “will be correct only after the majority of Georgian population realizes a counterproductive provocative nature of the action that took place in the Georgian Parliament” in late June.
 * Despite an end of direct flights, there was no seen reduction in tourism, as Russians still came through Armenia (https://jam-news.net/armenia-to-help-georgia-not-lose-russian-tourists/)
 * Upon leaving, Gavrilov said that 'negotiations on humanitarian-economic issues between the two countries may fail' (https://oc-media.org/thousands-clash-with-police-as-protesters-try-to-storm-georgian-parliament/)
 * Peskov called the demonstrations russophobic provocation on june 21 (https://oc-media.org/georgian-parliamentary-speaker-resigns-amidst-anti-russia-protests/)
 * Mikhail Degtyarev, chair of he duma committee on tourism, urged Russians to boycott Georgian resorts and imports
 * Russia’s consumer safety watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, also announced they had again ‘discovered’ quality issues with Georgian wine. (https://oc-media.org/protesters-in-tbilisi-march-to-ivanishvili-s-residence-to-interrupt-his-sleep/)
 * On June 24, Russia's consuper protecition agency announced that Georgian wine exports to Russia had deteriorated. The market had reached 50 million bottles in 2018. It started with blocking eight new batches of imports. (https://www.rferl.org/a/as-georgia-s-relations-with-russia-sour-moscow-says-its-wine-has-too/30019577.html)
 * The Kremlin denied any political conflict there
 * However, Russian state TV featured speakers calling for an embargo on Borjomi and wine
 * In July 2019, the Russian Communist Party filed a request with Rospotrebnadzor to rename khachapuri into pyshka or pierogi, and said it would plan to rename khinkali into pelmeni (https://emerging-europe.com/news/russias-communists-target-georgian-khachapuri/)
 * As soon as Gavrilov was expelled from parliament, Karasin said "we are following with concern the events" and called the opposition "radical political forces" (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30010908.html)
 * Gavrilov demanded that Moscow be involved in the investigations (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30012761.html)
 * To Zourabichvili's statement on Russia being an enemy and an occupier, Medvedev said: the statement is extremely unprofessional. The President of Georgia failed to get into the course of the case or deliberaltely distorts the situation of the case. Blaming Russia for everything is an attempt to distort the real situation. It is sad to hear such rhetoric from Zurabicxhvili. In case of strengthening of anti-Russian sentiments, Moscow will give appropriate advice to tourists wishing to travel to Georgia which will already create problems in the Georgian econmy. The goal of the protest movement is to explode the political stiatuon in Georgia." (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013076.html)
 * Russian media reported about the death of a protester, which was fake news (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013167.html)
 * Duma Foreign Affiars Committee chair Leonid Slutsky criticized Kobakhidze's resignation (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30013202.html)
 * On June 22, kadyrov stated on Telegram that he is concerned and threatened veiled that Tbilisi was only 200 km away (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30014215.html)
 * On June 22, Players of Tbilisi Locomotive and Kutaisi Torpedo wore shirts stating "I remember that 20% of Georgia is occupied". In response, Duma Deputy Speaker Igor Lebedev called on FIFA to sanction them (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30015318.html)
 * Gavrilov claimed that he would return to Georgia on June 29, although he did not (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30025709.html)
 * On July 1, the Kremlin issued a warning to artists from visiting Georgia because of Russophobic sentiments (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30030348.html)
 * This was in response to Nino Katamadze
 * On July 2, Karasin claimed that Russia had to postpone a decision to cancel the visa-free regime with Georgia (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30032508.html)
 * Karasin also directly blamed UNM for the protests (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30032746.html)
 * July 3: Two Georgian rugby players were expelled form the Russian Slava club for covering their eyes during a game (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30034472.html)
 * In early July, 207 reservations were reportedly cancelled in 16 hotels by Russian tourists in Kutaisi (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30039238.html)
 * On July 8, MP Sergey Neverov proposed a ban on Georgian wine and water (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30043265.html)
 * Endorsed by the Foreign Affairs Committee the same day (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30043639.html)
 * On July 9, Zourabichvili publicly called on the Russian leadership not to escalate the situation (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30045474.html)
 * July: DUma endorses sanctions on Georgia (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30045486.html)
 * The same day, Putin said he didn't think sanctions on Georgia were necessary (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30045689.html)
 * On July 16, Lavrov said that opposition leaders who were orgnaizing protests were "not thinlking about the damage they are causing to their own country, which depends in no small part on the quality of economic and humanitarian ties with Russia". He expressed hope the authorities would eliminate dangerous threats to rUSSIANS (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30059798.html)
 * 22 July: Mikhail Degtayov, Chairman of the Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Committee of the Duma calls on Russian vacationers to not spend time in Georgia and instead travel to the North Caucasus (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30070455.html)
 * On July 24, the Speaker of the Duma Vyacheslava Volodin condemned the protest as an attempt by Saakashvili to overthrow the government and asked President Zourabichvili for an pology over her comments about Russia being an aggressor (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30072447.html)
 * On July 24, Lavrov stated that the US was trying to build a rift between Georgia and Russia (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30072540.html)

Abkhazia and South Ossetia

 * June 27: Security Service of Abkhazia announces the closure of the Enguri crossing point, citing protests in Zugdidi of "provocative nature that affects the Abkhaz statehood" (https://civil.ge/archives/311211)
 * In response, the Georgian Ministry for Reconciliation nted that the government was communicating through formal and informal channels to ensure the protection of local residents
 * Before that, Khajimba convened a Security Council session on the Tbilisi protests and complained of the government's and opposition's use of the term occupied territories for Abkhazia and SO
 * Khajimba advised Tbilisi to solve its internal political issues without involvement of our independent states
 * As a result of the closure, 179 Abkhazian students set to take part in the national exams were blocked in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/311582)
 * The Ministry of Education pledged to offer remedies, while the MFA pledged to address the issue at the GID
 * The 48th round of GID took place on July 2-3, with Tbilisi pushing for the reopening with Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/311865)
 * The United States appealed to the de facto authorities in Abkhazia to reopen immediately the Enguri Bridge and other crossing points along the ABL in light of the grave and humanitarian consequences imposed by such restrictions on freedom of movement
 * The GID CO-Chairs also called for the lifting of the restrictions
 * On July 3, EU Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Maja Kocijancic called for the lifting of the restriction "to avoid further humanitarian hardship"
 * The Ministry of Education on July 24 announced that all registered students from Abkhazia would be admitted to the university of their choice and fully financed despite the lack of participation in exams (https://civil.ge/archives/314685)
 * Opposition MP Dimitry Dbar was the first to suggest closing the bridge (https://jam-news.net/abkhazia-closes-checkpoint-with-georgia-over-tbilisi-protests/)
 * The Abkhazia special services stated: Georgia is currently host to mass protest demonstrations of a provocative nature, affecting the statehood of the Republic of Abkhazia.
 * Abkhazian President Raul Khadzhimba urged protesters in Tbilisi to stop labelling Russia’s presence in Abkhazia an ‘occupation’. (https://oc-media.org/protesters-in-tbilisi-march-to-ivanishvili-s-residence-to-interrupt-his-sleep/)
 * On 20 June, European Georgia MP Akaki Bobokhidze shouted ‘I killed you in Abkhazia and will kill more’ at a member of the Russian delegation in parliament, triggering Abkhazian lawmakers to demand he be criminally prosecuted and the ‘border with Georgia’ be closed. Bobokhidze later clarified he meant he had killed Russians.
 * The MFA of Abkhazia Daur Kove said that a case would be opened against 'war criminal' Akaki Bobokhidze for saying in Parliament "I was killing your people, I was killing in Abkhazia, I was killing And I will kill you." (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30011863.html)
 * The Enguri closure was ordered by Khajimba at MP Dimitri Dbar's request, who justified it based on Bobokhidze's comments (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30024502.html)
 * Te vridge closure took place on June 27 at 2100. It was condemned by Tbilisi as a restriction of free movement. The EUMM hotline was activated (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30025170.html)
 * On June 28, Sokhumi partially lifted the closure to allow people carrying proper medical documentarion and in need of medical assistance. (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30025378.html)
 * The movement from Zugdidi to Abkhazia was not restricted originally
 * On July 1, Tsikhelashvili announced in an interview that the bridge closure had been partially lifted for pensioners too (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30030548.html)
 * The closure of Enguri was the focus of the 48th round of GID, although that failed (July 2-3) (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30036340.html)
 * Upon criticism of the failure of GID, Karasin threatened Georgia with war (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30036349.html)
 * In August 2019, the Parliament of South Ossetia asked the Duma, which agreed, to review the question of recognizing the 1920 Ossetian genocide (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30086944.html)

In popular culture

 * Stencil of Kartlis Deda (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30061401.html)
 * Stencils across the city
 * Songs and slogans