(26 May 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tbilisi, Georgia – 26 May 2025
1. Wide of people marching with Georgian flag in front of Parliament building
2. People marching holding EU and Georgian flags
3. Close of EU and Georgian flags
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Elene Gotsiridze, Tbilisi resident:
"Today we celebrate Georgia’s independence day, which is very important for Georgian people. Usually we don’t have many national holidays like Independence Day, but today we celebrate and also we have some kind of feeling of protest that we are, we are losing our independence because of the foreign actors, neighbors, large big neighbors who want to abandon our freedom, and we have a double feeling. We are proud that we have independence, such a small nation, independent nation, but at the same time we fear that we might lose our independence very soon."
++DUSK/NIGHT SHOTS++
5. Mid of protesters in front of Parliament
6. Mid of flags
7. Pan of protesters singing Georgian anthem
8. Wide of protesters
9. Mid of protesters holding photos of people arrested during pro-European protests
10. Former President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili addressing crowd
11. SOUNDBITE (Georgian) Salome Zourabichvili, Former President of Georgia:
"Georgia has always stood in the streets whenever its independence, freedom, and future were at risk. It stood in the streets in 2008 when Russia invaded us. It has been standing for seven months since the elections, and for six months since the illegitimate government decided to block our path toward freedom. Georgia is standing now – and it will be victorious."
12. People applauding
13. Child waving Georgian flag
14. Mid pan of protesters
STORYLINE:
Demonstrators waving Georgian and European Union flags blocked the central street in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, on Monday to celebrate Independence Day.
Salome Zourabichvili, the country’s former president, addressed a crowd outside parliament, saying "Georgia has always stood in the streets whenever its independence, freedom, and future were at risk."
Georgian opposition groups and a larger public did not participate in the celebration organized by the ruling Georgian Dream party and held an alternative celebration where thousands have attended.
Georgia has seen widespread political unrest since the country’s last parliamentary election on Oct. 26, which was won by Georgian Dream.
Protesters and the country’s opposition declared the result as illegitimate amid allegations of vote-rigging helped by Russia, sparking weeks of protests across the country.
Georgian Dream has seen widespread condemnation by European leaders and international rights groups over its rough handling of protesters and perceived democratic backsliding.
AP video by Sophiko Megrelidze
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