The police raid in Tbilisi brought people to the square with completely different views on the future: the report of the "Gromadsky"

On May 12, the Georgian police held raids on the largest Tbilisi clubs - and detained several people on suspicion of the spread of drugs. That same night, Georgian youth entered the protest, which lasted several days and caused the discontent of local nationalists (they came out with contracts). This situation only emphasized the conflict that has been observed recently in Georgia - a split between the conservative and progressive part of society. On the one hand, in Georgia, nationalist and pro -Russian sentiments have recently intensified. On the other hand, progressive youth actively advocates the decriminalization of drugs and defends LGBT rights. The Gromadsky correspondent returned from Georgia and tells how the designated two different worlds are going to coexist in one country further.

Julianna Skibitskaya , "Gromad",
With the support of the "Russian -speaking media"

Dance protest

On May 17, noon, people on the march in honor of the day of cohesion and holiness of the family gather in the Square of the Rose Revolution in the center of Tbilisi. This young holiday - it was approved by the Church in 2014 - for the believers of the Georgians, almost the main event of the year. Metal fences and several policemen on the square - only for a look, provocations here were not expected today.

Separate columns are children in different national costumes, among them the dzhigits are pacing in Choha-Akhalukhi and even in the papa-despite the 30-degree heat; A little further, priests in church clothing hold icons. In the center of the square there is a large icon of the Mother of God with a baby, near which the priests wave Kadil: women with their head covered, bow and kiss the image. The background is played by national music.

Here, on the Rose Revolution Square, the most traditional and patriarchal Georgia gathered - Orthodox, believing, honoring the traditions of its ancestors. The march participants say that they want to emphasize the importance of a traditional family - that is, heterosexual, although this word does not sound here.

It was without reason that the Church appointed the family day of May on May 17 - the day of the international struggle against homophobia.

In 2012 and 2013, local LGBT organizations on this day planned to go through a procession along the central streets of Tbilisi, but they were attacked by nationalists and ultra -right. Representatives of the church, in turn, came out with posters against homosexuality.

And in 2014, the Georgian Patriarch Illia II approved the new holiday on May 17, thus intercepting the agenda from LGBT activists.

So this year, LGBT organizations planned to leave their action on the afternoon of May 17, but changed their minds - to avoid provocations.

Moreover, over the past few weeks in Georgia, the situation and without it has been tense. After the police held a raid on the largest nightclubs Tbilisi and arrested several people on suspicion of drug distribution, the “club youth” entered the protest. Several thousand people (the organizers talk about 15 thousand) on May 12 gathered in front of the building of the Georgian parliament in order to express dissatisfaction with the actions of the security forces. One of the organizers of the action was the “White noise” movement - the main activists for the liberalization of drug policy in Georgia. However, at these rallies, the drug policy was not the main agenda-protesters due to cruel circulation of the police in clubs demanded the resignation of the Prime Minister and the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The protest was called “dance” - the protesters brought the equipment, danced and chanted: “We Dance Together, We Fight Together” [“We Dance Together Fight”]. In response, local nationalists from the “Georgian march” came to the street - as they themselves said, against drug propaganda. Some tried to break through to the protesters at the parliament building, but they were pushed by the police. On May 14, the participants in the Dance Protest decided to disperse - until May 19. The leader of the White Shum, Bek Kikarishvili, after negotiations with the Minister of the Interior, said that the shares were temporarily terminated. The minister promised that all the guilty in the raid will be punished.

On the march in honor of the family day about rallies, of course, they know, although they assure them - they did not come in contrast to them.

“They heard, of course,” says Georgian Manana, looking about 50 years old. Older people can mainly speak Russian, but it is easier for young people to communicate in English. “They want drugs to legalize.” But this is contraindicated to us, we are against it. We are Orthodox, we must have family purity. This is negatively affected by all our families. ”

Several men of 50-60 years of age are a little away. They say that on the holiday of May 17 every year they come with families, go march, and then rest. But as soon as it comes to rallies under parliament, their peaceful mood immediately changes.

“These were not people there. There are gays alone! More precisely, ***, ”a 60-year-old man with glasses, who introduced himself as a tengiz, emotionally waves his hands. - I hate them. And not only we are here - and in Russia also against Russia. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is also against it. ”

During the conversation with Tengiz and his friends, it turns out that they are representatives of that part of the Georgian population, which is loyal to both Russia and the Russian president. Tangiz assures that Georgia with Russia must historically be together and mercilessly scolds the former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. He spoke contemptuously about the "Americans",

And his friend, having heard that we are from Ukraine, advise: "Friends with Putin - and you will be fine."

Nationalism with a note of fascism

“Have you seen the Nazis there? A group of people went with bandages in their hands, they wandered, ”says Georgian journalist Dmitry Aliani, when we sit after the march in the editorial office of Jam News, where he works as an editor. “It's a pity that you didn’t notice them - they apparently quickly left.”

Photos of worshiping young people with the image of the Nazi cross on red bandages quickly dispersed on the Internet. These are representatives of the organization "National Unity of Georgia", which in Georgia is considered neo -Nazi, and the leaders themselves directly call themselves the Nazis.

Dmitry Aliani is sure that Russia sponsored ultra -right organizations in Georgia. And their pro -Russian slogans respond to the more traditionalist part of the population, which opens against LGBT and the legalization of drugs.

The main nationalist organization in Georgia is “Georgian march”. Her leader is Sandro Breadze, the former deputy state minister for Diaspor. Breadze - a consistent opponent of the community LGBT,

He made a proposal to amend the Constitution of Georgia and clearly prescribe that marriage is a "union of man and woman."

In July 2017, Georgian march also held rallies against migrants - in particular, against the Turks and Arabs.

During the “Club Protest” “Georgian march”, the initiator of the creation of the “Association of National Forces”, which included local ultra -right organizations. Human rights activists from Transparency International found out that one of the leaders of the Union of National Forces, a former deputy of the Georgian Parliament Dmitry Lorkipanidze, two months ago became the director of the Georgian-Russian Public Center named after Primakov. It was created in August 2013 by the Institute of International Relations and the “Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund”. And the Gorchakov Foundation, in turn, was created in 2010 by the Russian Foreign Ministry by decree of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

“Now a dangerous precedent has been created in Georgia,” says Dmitry Avaliani. - Young people protested, for a peaceful protest, for their rights. And then some other people appeared who decided that they did not like it. And they achieved their own - the action dispersed. The provocations were frightened, they did not want blood. But this is not serious. "

"We just protect our freedom"

Despite the fact that the LGBT organizations officially canceled all the events on May 17, in the evening in Tbilisi, an action was still held against homophobia. Everyone was called to her who was not afraid of ultra -right opponents. The fee was assigned at 19:00 near the building of the State Chancellery. Already at 18:00, all approaches to him were cordoned off by the police.

In the square in front of the State Council in anticipation of the start of the action, numerous journalists and several activists missed the start. Later, after about an hour, the number of people increased - there were up to two hundred people in the square. Almost everyone here is familiar with each other-they hug at a meeting and are vividly discussed in Georgian, emotionally waving their hands. People unanimously say - they came out not only against homophobia, but in general against everything that is happening in Georgia.

“I want to live freely, calmly, I want to be what I am. I'm not a lesbian, I'm a simple person. But I am for freedom, ”says Anna, a girl of about 25, with bright red hair. Her friend Katie adds: “In the streets, actually, homophobia blooms. I have repeatedly became a victim of this homophobia, I and my son is 19-year-old, because he has long hair. ”

Most of the people who came to the rally today participated in "dance protests." Anna and Katie were there too. They call their ultra -right opponents "fascists." And this is another leitmotif of the rally - the speakers constantly speak to the loudspeaker that neo -Nazi ideas are blooming in Georgia. The gathered clap and raise rainbow flags.

“I went out because I do not want the Nazis so calmly walking around my country,” says Anna. - Their time is over, all, 21st century, people! ”

“They [opponents of“ dance protests ”] for some reason thought that we were protecting the people who sell drugs,” Katie connects. “We just defend our freedom.” We want to live here calmly, work and do our job. ”

“And in general, I don't understand. Someone wants to thump, and I love LSD [psychotropic drug]-what's the problem? I don’t do anything bad to anyone. Those who do not support us, I will say that they come to the club. There is such love, there everyone cares so much about each other. Let them go, see what entertainment is. ”

In five hundred meters, opponents of LGBT gathered for an alternative rally; It was organized by the Georgian March. One of the participants was able to break through to the rally against homophobia, but the police quickly arrested him. Half an hour after that, buses drove up to the building of the State Council, which were supposed to take the participants to avoid skirmishes. After bloody clashes in 2012 and 2013, the police are taking maximum security measures.

But even after the end of the rally against homophobia, their opponents did not disperse. There were up to 1000 people near the parliament building. Different people came to the contract - young guys and older men, women in scarves and priests. The Georgian Church is a longtime ally of right -wing organizations in the fight against LGBT. On the steps near the parliament, where on May 12 the participants of “dance protests” made themselves an impromptu scene are everyone - nationalist leaders, priests and even a boy of about 10, who talked about a traditional family. Each speech came to the action met with applause and screams - they lifted up their fists and whistled approvingly.

There were almost no journalists here, although half an hour ago there were about a hundred on stocks against homophobia. But those who have come to the rally do not want to communicate with the press - they dismiss and in the broken Russian say: “Take the camera.” One of the guys after this phrase explained: “We do not trust television, it is constantly lying about us!”

Those who agreed to talk are expressed about the same thoughts.

“We hate, sorry for the expression, *** in and lesbian,” says George, looking about 45 years old. - We are Georgians, real Georgians and love our country. Georgians live here, and these are not Georgians. They even have no faith. ”

“Today is family day. And LGBT and drug addicts believe that this day is, ”40-year-old Maya explained her position. - We protest, because in our country they should not be. Very few of us, and even less will become. ”

Drug policy and protests

On May 19, “Dance protests” in Tbilisi had to resume. But the day before, in the "White noise" they said that there would be no shares. One of the leaders of the organization David Subeliani explains this so - you need to look for new formats of conversation with the authorities. And the temporary cessation of protests relaxed people and a large -scale rally would not have been possible to collect. Journalist Dmitry Avaliani expresses another version-there will be no promotion due to the threat of the attack of the ultra-right.

The White noise office is located in the very center of Tbilisi, on a neighboring street with Shota Rustaveli Avenue. David shows the view from the window - on the one hand, the Presidential Palace and the Church, and on the other, the house where the “shadow leader” of Georgia Bidzin Ivanishvili lives. David laughs that the “white noise” is surrounded from all sides.

The history of this organization began in 2013. Beku Cicarishvili was arrested for the future leader of the White Holy Farm for the storage of drugs - he found 69 grams of marijuana. According to the then Georgian legislation, he was threatened up to 11 years in prison. Bek's friends unfolded the campaign in his defense under the slogan: “Beka is not crime”, which then many people then joined. In 2015, the Georgian Constitutional Court recognized the normal norm, which implies imprisonment for the acquisition and storage of marijuana for personal use. Beka paid a fine of 2000 Lari (about $ 820) and founded the “White noise” movement for drug liberalization.

“Do you know why the“ white noise ”? - explains David. - It happens that you turn on the TV, and

Some channel does not show, there is only gray ripples, white noise. And everyone is uncomfortable, everyone wants to switch at once. So we decided that we will be such a white noise

“It is uncomfortable from us, they want to switch us, but we will constantly remind us of ourselves.”

David is 40 years old, he has a wife and children. He asks with interest where we are “hanging out in Kyiv”, is friends with Kyiv organizers of the techno-raves and knows all the owners of clubs in Tbilisi. In the "White Summary" he is from the very beginning of the existence of the organization. After activists knocked out the right to store marijuana for personal purposes, they try to achieve complete decriminalization of all drugs.

In 2017, a bill prepared by a “white noise” was submitted to the Georgian parliament. Activists took as a basis for the basis of the Portugal, where since 2001 all drugs have been decriminalized - including injection, cocaine and heroin. According to Portuguese, drug storage for personal use refers to the field of administrative responsibility, not criminal.

“We could not talk only about marijuana or so -called club drugs,” explains David. - Because people who use injection drugs are in the worst position. They are stigmatized, they have problems with rights. If we already want to change the system, then we need to change it for everyone. ”

In 2015-2016, “White Furious” had a good time. David says that Street then interacted well with the deputies who supported the idea of ​​decriminalizing drugs. They promised that they would accept the law in the fall of 2017. The activists were expressed by the deputies of the opposition party “Girch”, created in 2015 - their name translates as “cones”.

“We believed that more than half of the deputies were for,” says David. “But he was not even taken out for a vote.” Everyone told us: wait, you can’t crush it, everything will be. And we believed. And then at some point I realized that here, I became part of politics. And politics - she is like that. "

We were just deceived. At some point, we just moved from the streets to the offices. And it all ended. "

At the same time, as the bill was submitted to the parliament, nationalist organizations began the campaign against “white noise”, says David. They argued that activists offer a law for drug distributors, and not for consumers. The church actively opposed the bill - in the end, the ruling party "Georgian Dream" did not begin to consider it. Although, after “dance protests”, the Minister of Justice of Georgia Teya Tsulukiani said that the government only against the complete legalization of drugs - but this does not apply to decriminalization.

Public opinion unfolded against "white noise." Therefore, even now, during the “dance protests”, the “white noise” tried not to particularly advertise his role and almost did not raise the issue of the liberalization of drug policy. However, this did not help - the Georgian conservatives are sure that only "gays and drug addicts."

The line of the split

David Subeliani says that the next two weeks of protest shares will definitely not be. He notes that now the general situation for decriminalization of drugs has worsened. Therefore, the “white noise” decided to expand his agenda, not focusing only on drug policy.

“We want to raise the question as a whole about human rights in Georgia,” David is worried and switches into English - it is easier for him to speak than in Russian. - This is a question of LGBT, and the question of fascism in Georgia. The issue of own freedoms. And, of course, the issue of drug policy. ”

Грузинский журналист Дмитрий Авалиани говорит, что раскол в Грузии глубже, чем кажется на первый взгляд. Рост ультраправых и пророссийских настроений в Грузии приводит к столкновению двух обществ — консервативного и прогрессивного. Представители последнего отдыхают в ночных клубах, выступают за легализацию или хотя бы декриминализацию наркотиков, а также поддерживают ЛГБТ. Консервативная часть придерживается традиционных взглядов на семью и образ жизни и считает, что «клубная молодежь хочет уничтожить грузинскую идентичность».

С этой частью общества работают политики и националисты. А с прогрессивной молодежью не работает никто,

утверждает Авалиани.

«Молодежь у нас очень аполитична, — поясняет Дмитрий. — С ней никто не работает. В итоге, они почти не выходят на акции протеста. Один раз они вышли потому, что музыкантам подложили наркотики [в 2017-м году двух рэперов арестовали, но вскоре отпустили, после того как начались массовые протесты], сейчас они вышли, потому что государство залезло на их территорию. Но выходить по каким-то политическим поводам они не будут. Их это не интересует».

Дмитрий Авалиани говорит, что конфликт между двумя частями общества назревал давно — просто наиболее четко он проявился как раз во время «танцевальных протестов». Когда в 2004 году Михаил Саакашвили стал президентом, Грузия резко поменяла курс развития страны на прозападный, провела ряд жестких и часто непопулярных реформ. Авалиани говорит, что это изменило менталитет грузинов в лучшую сторону, однако быстро невозможно полностью изменить систему.

«Конфликт, который проявился сейчас, не закончится. Он просто будет проявляться в другой форме. Я надеюсь, что прозападные партии смогут все же изменить ситуацию», — говорит Авалиани.