July 5 of beaten journalists | 1 year since the unprecedented violence against the media

July 5 - Media Violence Day - exactly one year ago on this day, journalists and cameramen were harassed and physically assaulted by aggressive homophobic far- right groups in the streets of the capital...

More than 50 members of the media were injured in the violent events. Some of them needed surgery. Authorities did not arrest anyone on charges of organizing violence.

The mobilisation

On July 5, 2021 ultraconservative groups, according to a prearranged violent plan accompanied by state inaction, prevented the "Pride March" on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, organized by Tbilisi Pride and other civic groups.

Violent, radical groups, through their own television station Alt-Info, openly declared that they would not allow the event to take place and would take care to mobilize the perpetratorss."

The violent actions were preceded by the statements of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at a government meeting, who gave the go-ahead to the violent radicals and said he did not consider it appropriate to hold the "Pride March".

Raiding the tents

On that day one of the organizers, Zura Makharadze urged his group to dismantle the tents set up in front of the parliament as part of the protest against the authorities. A mass raid began. They damaged the EU flag placed in front of the parliament. Law enforcers were also mobilized on the spot, but they did nothing to stop the crowd.

 The attacks on the office of Shame and Tbilisi Pride.

At the same time another organizer, Konstantine Morgoshia, "blessed" about 600 thugs to go to the Shame office in the yard of the first school and raid the organization. Only four policemen were on the scene at the time. They were on the ground, but not acting or reacting.

Hate-motivated protesters stormed the office of the Tbilisi Pride NGO located on Akhvlediani Street. They damaged items and equipment on the site. The participants also threw pyrotechnics in the yard of "Tbilisi Human Rights House".

Revenge on the media

During the attack on the office of Shame, the people who broke into the entryway of the building attacked and beat the cameraman of TV Pirveli Lekso Lashkarava and the journalist Miranda Bagaturia. They then left the building with claps and applause. The police calmly let them pass.

At the same time in central streets of Tbilisi thugs were attacking journalists, cursing and beating them. At the time, the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not ensure that appropriate measures were taken. Clergymen were also present along with radicals on Rustaveli Avenue.

On July 5, attacks by aggressive and homophobic groups resulted in 53 media representatives being injured. In addition, 11 activists, citizens and 7 law enforcement officers were injured.

Lekso Lashkarava, cameraman of the TV Pirveli Company, was found dead on 11 July. Lekso had broken facial bones and needed an operation. In the morning, his mother found him dead in her home.

After his death, the Interior Ministry launched a smear campaign against Lekso and issued to the public a version of a drug overdose as the cause of the badly beaten operator's death.

Justice?

A year later, the gang members who brutally attacked the media and chased them through the streets after a bloody special operation on July 5 will soon be released again. Judges Nino Chakhnashvili and Alexander Kopaliani said on April 4, 2022 that brutal violence against a journalist is punishable by a minimum punishment.

The only episode, in which radicals were sentenced to 5 years in prison, was the case of beating of Lekso Lashkarava.

The organizers of the 5 July events remain unpunished. Moreover, representatives of Alt-Info even registered their own party.