Nino Gelashvili
On May 4, in front of the Ilia State University, the young people gathered to protect the freedom of expression. The youth branch of the Public Orthodox Movement and Union of Orthodox Parents dispersed them.
The demonstration started at 5:00 pm with slogans “We Demand Freedom of Expression”, “No to Fascism.” About 15 people participated in the demonstration; among them were journalist Ninia Kakabadze, human rights defender Beka Mindiashviloi and cinema scientist Teo Khatiashvili. They protested the demonstration organized by the Union of Orthodox Parents on May 3; the orthodox parents demanded the resignation of the rector of the Ilia State University Gigi Tevzadze because he had presented the book by Erekle Deisadze; the orthodox parents also demanded to stop selling the book.
Most of the organizers of the demonstration on May 4 had not read the book. “I have not read it yet. I bought it today and will read it. It makes no difference what is written in it. It is the 21st century and we have right to freedom of expression; so we are protecting our rights here,” said Ninia Kakabadze to the journalists.
Teo Khatiashvili said that if we wanted to escape the Soviet Union, because somebody permanently dictated us how to live and think, we should not do the same today by imposing different values on us.
Several minutes after the demonstration started, a group of young people joined them shouting. “You are nasty people. Don’t you want your children grow up properly? I am afraid of pedophiles and zoophiles. Are you fascists and enemies of Georgian nation?”they were shouting. Soon, the young people left the demonstration but later they returned with more people.
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Part of the demonstrators decided to leave the area peacefully. However, the opponents followed them. In front of journalists they insulted and physically assaulted the lector of the university Simon Janashia and demonstrators.
Soon clergymen appeared at the demonstration. “A sick person appeared; he needs treatment instead propaganda. They called the book insulting name. The author described the relationship of a boy with his parents. Look, how anxious the people are; I cannot stop them,” said the clergyman of the St. Nino Church in Chitadze Street, Tbilisi, Father David.
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Giorgi Gegechkori said nobody had serious injuries as a result of the incident and they did not detain anybody.
The book of Erekle Deisadze was presented at the Ilia State University on April 15 in the literature café “Ligamus” at the university. Initially the café had only 20 books but now all of them are sold out. The book has been in great demand since May 2, when the protest demonstration was organized against it.
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