Serial demonstrations, mass movements

On the 37th anniversary of the 9 April 1989 Soviet massacre in Tbilisi, Georgian anti-government demonstrators held a 24 hour-long gathering at the city’s 9 April memorial. Several incidents were reported throughout the day, one of which is now under criminal investigation on charges of violence.
At the memorial, located outside parliament — the site of daily anti-government protests for almost 500 days now — activist groups had planned a special gathering titled ‘The Struggle for Freedom Continues’ several days in advance.
Referring to the 1989 events as a ‘day of shared grief and victory’, the organisers emphasised that ‘the struggle for freedom is not over’.
‘The Russian regime crushed and killed the Georgian people then; the Russian regime is still using violence and poisoning us today!’ they wrote in the description of the social media event, drawing a parallel between the Soviet army’s suppression of pro-independence demonstrators 37 years ago and the current government’s crackdown against critics, dubbing the ruling Georgian Dream party the ‘Russian regime’.
The rally began on the evening of Wednesday, 8 April, with a group of protesters, including family members of several jailed anti-government demonstrators, remaining at the site throughout the night.
On Thursday morning, when officials — including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and President Mikheil Kavelashvili — appeared at the site, protesters greeted them with chants, including ‘Russians!’ and ‘slaves!’.
Ahead of the officials’ arrival, an honour guard corridor was arranged for them to pass through, while police were deployed to keep demonstrators at a distance from the politicians.
Opposition politicians were also present at the memorial.