A letter issued by Rezo Kiknadze, detained during clashes near Georgia’s Parliament, has urged demonstrators to escalate their actions, and criticized both the government and opposition organizers for what he called insufficient resolve.
Kiknadze, writing from custody, frames the confrontation as a struggle against a ‘treacherous’ government, and accuses parts of society of moralizing instead of acting. He warns that peaceful gestures alone will not remove the ruling party and rejects calls to blame individuals, urging supporters to focus on practical means of resistance. The letter also criticizes protest organizers for failing to equip participants with protective gear and tools.
“Don’t be afraid, get angry; don’t look for someone to blame, look for a solution — empty words won’t achieve anything,” Kiknadze wrote, arguing that the movement needs unified, decisive action rather than internal disputes. He expressed little hope that the current political leadership will be removed through conventional means and called for sustained mobilization.
Kiknadze’s statement follows a day of intense confrontation in central Tbilisi, during which protesters breached the fence of the Presidential Palace, clashes with special units ensued and dozens of people, both protesters and law enforcement officers, were treated for injuries. Several opposition figures were detained in the aftermath.
