Tonight, February 25, protests continue on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, marking the 89th consecutive day of demonstrations. Participants have been blocking traffic despite police efforts to disperse them. The protests are organized by various groups, including the Ukrainian Embassy and the Public Broadcaster, with participants chanting slogans such as “Glory to Ukraine!” and “Freedom to the regime’s prisoners!”
The protests come in response to the government’s recent actions, including the suspension of EU accession talks and the rejection of the legitimacy of the October 26 parliamentary elections, which many, including President Salome Zurabishvili, have called rigged.
In a statement today, President Zurabishvili emphasized the historical significance of February 25, noting that it marks the day in 1921 when Soviet Russia took control of Tbilisi, ending Georgia’s short-lived democratic and European path. She warned that today, Georgians face a similar existential threat to their independence and freedom.
Organizers earlier called for a general strike at 16:00, urging workers and employers to stand in front of their offices and workplaces before marching to Heroes’ Square and then onto Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi’s main artery.
The protest aims to honor those who have been detained or mistreated, including 49 political prisoners, 500 beaten and tortured activists, thousands of unfairly fined individuals, tens of thousands of humiliated citizens, and hundreds of thousands of angry Georgians. The protesters stand together in the name of the future of Georgia, believing that the Georgian flag will always fly over the country, as Georgians fight peacefully to defend their independence and democratic values.
