In Photos: ‘Silent Protest’ Amid Secretary Pompeo’s Georgia Visit

On November 18, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Georgian leaders, President Zurabishvili, Prime Minister Gakharia and Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani, as well as civil society representatives and Orthodox Church Patriarch Ilia II amid opposition’s silent protests in downtown Tbilisi.

Secretary Pompeo did not meet in Tbilisi the Georgian opposition that rejects the results of October 31 parliamentary elections and refuses to enter the new Parliament. To deliver their message that “elections were rigged” by Georgian Dream government to the top U.S. diplomat, large opposition crowds formed at least a 1,5 km long human chain starting from the Parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi’s main thoroughfare to Kostava street until the Philharmonic Concert Hall.

Civil.ge’s Eana Korbezashvili captured the moments from the opposition’s “silent protest.”

Protester on Merab Kostava Street, holding a “falsified” copy of a final vote tally of October 31 parliamentary election. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
Protesters standing over stickers featuring Russian President Vladimir Putin and Bidzina Ivanishvili, ruling Georgian Dream party chairman to observe COVID-19 social distancing. Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
Protester on Tbilisi’s Merab Kostava Street, holding Georgian and U.S. flags. Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
Protesters holding a large U.S. flag as they march towards Rustaveli Avenue. Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
Protesters on Tbilisi’s First Republic Square holding U.S. and Georgian flags. Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
Social distancing stickers featuring Vladimir Putin, Russian President and Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Dream party chair. Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
Social distancing stickers on Rustaveli Avenue. Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
Protesters outside the Georgian Parliament. Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
Protesters holding U.S. and German flags outside of the Georgian Parliament building. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
Opposition protest amid Secretary Pompeo’s visit in Tbilisi. November 18, 2020.

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