Small LGBT Pride Rally Held In Tbilisi
TBILISI -- Activists in Georgia say they managed to hold a small gay pride parade in the capital, Tbilisi, on July 8.
Pride co-leader Giorgi Tabagari said on Twitter "Tbilisi Pride has finally happened."
"Smaller in numbers but we managed to get out safely. History in making!" he added.
About two dozen protesters, including human rights activists and members of the LGBT community, protested outside the Interior Ministry while holding signs and rainbow flags.
The rally lasted only 30 minutes amid reports that extremist groups were on their way to disperse protesters.
Earlier, organizers had said that the event had been cancelled.
Reports suggest the planned route of the march was leaked online, raising security concerns among members of Georgia's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.
Pride co-leader Giorgi Tabagari told journalists that the decision to cancel the parade was made after threats against would-be marchers.
"We will not hold our action near the Interior Ministry's building due to threats to members of our organization," Tabagari said.
Tabagari later said on Twitter that activists flew a rainbow flag over a protest by those opposing the pride event.
"We were not allowed to go out today for the Pride March, we flew the rainbow flag over homophobic protest in #Tbilisi," Tabagari said in a tweet that included a photo of the rainbow flag.
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