Thousands of anti-LGBTQ+ protesters storm Georgia Pride festival

A Pride event in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, was cancelled after up to 2,000 anti-LGBTQ+ protesters stormed the event and destroyed the stage.

Footage showed protesters holding Georgian flags scuffling with police moments before the event was broken up. Organisers accused the authorities of actively colluding with the demonstrators to disrupt the festival, which had been held in private for a second consecutive year to reduce the risk of violent protests. A government minister said it was a difficult event to police as it was held in an open area, near a lake. Georgia has passed laws against discrimination and hate crimes, but LGBTQ+ rights groups say there is a lack of adequate protection by law enforcement officials and homophobia remains widespread in the socially conservative South Caucasus nation.

The Guardian on YouTube: 

#GeorgiaProtests #Tbilisi #LGBTQ+ #GeorgiaPride

[rioperez]

Well done Georgia. We need more of this in the west. I've got nothing against your sexuality but I have a problem if you try to shove it down our throats and corrupt our kids.

[annonymously]

The reactions in the comments section is definitely not what the Guardian would be looking for

[deplorabled]

Comment section did not go the way Guardian wanted.

[Fugitive]

Georgian people truly have regained my respect.

[thetexanbuzzsaw]

It's not about equality anymore, it's about control.

[natalieblack]

The people who organized the parade must’ve been out of their minds. It’s Georgia, very traditional, very socially conservative, very Orthodox Christian.

[verumecclesia]

This is BASED! Huge respect from Brazil 🇧🇷

[davidachmoody]

Great to see people fighting back for once.

[Arsh_B]

My respect for the georgian people rn : 📈📈📈📈📈

[Moko]

Well done Georgian people!!! You have my fully support and respect!!!

[AllanChirara]

Respect to those people who couldn't let this madness go on on their watch

[jamiespiteri]

It's nice to see people actually do something about it and not just complain online

[FloridaGoth]

When people chant we're coming for your children there are consequences.

[alework]

Respect to the people of Georgia greetings from Chile 🙏

[KingStu-krwz]

Gotta love how a huge mob of people storm the parade but are still pretty polite to the police officers

[Boundlxss_]

They saw what was happening in America and thought the same thing might start happening in their country and they didn’t want it so it makes sense

[PvZgamingfan]

My respect to the Georgian people📈📈📈📈📈📈📈📈📈

[herlysarmiento]

That small less than 5% alphabet group must understand one way or another...We will NOT tolerate their intrusion in our lives and especially our kids' lives. Period! Well done Georgia!

[keithwilkins]

All these comments are not what the Guardian expected !

[PaPaWizdom]

And the support is overwhelmingly for the attackers. When is lgbt going to finally get the message that people are sick of having their sexuality shoved in everyone else's faces.