TSU

(Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–A conference about sexual minorities had to be moved to another location after Tbilisi State University (TSU) refused to let it be held on February 22 following protests by extreme traditionalists.

The protest was staged by a group which has often made homophobic statements and held rallies against gays, lesbians and other sexual minorities. As the protest was being planned on Facebook, some made threats against organizers and participants.

“Tbilisi State University was unable to protect the participants of the conference from possible violence by this group and refused holding the conference in order to avoid destabilization,” reads a statement by Identoba, the group that organized the conference.

The organization claims TSU is a public space and that no-one has a right to control and prevent what research is going on there.

After Identoba failed to find an alternative location, the conference was held at their office.

Topics for this fourth such conference were issues related to coming out, homosexuals being dependent on bisexuals, attitudes and different approaches to the LGBT issue.

Young National Alliance and the organization Erovnulebi (Nationals) showed up in front of TSU to continue their protest against holding an LGBT conference there.

Giorgi Gabedava, one of the organizers of the protest, who has been spotted at rallies against religious minority events, protests against artificial fertilization and anti-LGBT events, told Channel 1 that the goal of the conference was to ‘promote LGBT identity among students’.

“They also planned to discuss how religion harasses those people, etc and this is outrageous.”