TBILISI, October 8 – The violent unrest that broke out in Tbilisi on October 4 dealt a heavy blow to the reputation of Georgia’s protest movement, according to EU policy analyst Kakha Gogolashvili, but he believes the ruling Georgian Dream party will struggle to brand all forms of opposition as violent or extremist.
Speaking on BMGTV’s program Tsertili, Gogolashvili said his initial reaction to the night’s events was “absolute shock.” At first, he feared the clashes had “irreparably discredited” the idea of peaceful protest in Georgia and handed the government an excuse to justify harsh measures. However, he said that the majority of people who attended the rally were not seeking to overthrow the government but came to express discontent through peaceful means.
“Most people who went to that rally were not supporters of a violent coup,” Gogolashvili said. “That became clear the same evening.” He argued that, for this reason, Georgian Dream will find it difficult to convince the public that all protests are “radical” or “revolutionary” in nature.
The October 4 rally, billed by its organizers as a “peaceful revolution,” ended in violence after protesters moved toward the presidential residence. Five leaders of the demonstration, including opera singer Paata Burchuladze, former prosecutor Murtaz Zodelava, and opposition politicians Irakli Nadiradze, Paata Manjgaladze, and Lasha Beridze, have since been charged with organizing group violence, attempting to seize a state facility, and inciting the violent overthrow of the constitutional order. They face up to nine years in prison if convicted.
Gogolashvili said many participants were “naïve,” believing unsubstantiated claims that a single rally could topple the government. He compared the organizers’ approach to “authoritarian methods” that discourage independent thinking among followers.
“What amazes me,” he said, “is that many people didn’t vote in the elections because they thought change through voting was impossible, but they went to the rally, believing a few speeches could change everything overnight.”
He added that while history may judge some of the arrested organizers as “idealists who sincerely wanted change,” their actions were still irresponsible and misled the public.
To restore credibility, Georgia’s opposition parties and civic activists must work to keep future protests peaceful and constructive, the analyst argued: “The form and goal of protest must remain a peaceful and rational process in the eyes of the public.”
