Artists active – Creative protest: Georgia dances the resistance

For more than a month, people in Georgia have been taking to the streets against the pro-Russian government and demanding free and fair new elections. The protests escalated after the controversial parliamentary elections, which were marred by allegations of rigging. “There were reports and videos of election manipulation, for example that bundles of ballot papers were simply put into urns,” explains political scientist and author Nini Tsiklauri in an interview with “Krone”.

The electoral commission responsible for counting votes acted under the influence of the pro-Russian ruling party ‘Georgian Dream’. People were particularly angry about the announcement that EU accession negotiations would be postponed until 2028. “This not only contradicts election promises, but also the constitution, which obliges Georgia to follow the course of the EU and NATO. ”

More than 500 people were arrested and more than 350 people were shot, including a 22-year-old who was in a coma. “A death could dramatically worsen the situation,” Tsiklauri warned. The protests have affected the entire country and Georgians living abroad. “For the first time, people are on the streets not only in Tbilisi, but also in cities like Batumi or Zugdidi and at the same time internationally,” she reports. What is especially impressive is the solidarity between the young European generation, which does not want to deal with an authoritarian regime, and the older generation, which has taken to the streets for many demonstrations and government uprisings. “My 83-year-old grandmother says she is protesting for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She and many other elderly people carry signs with slogans such as: “We are not babushkas, we are forested (Georgian for grandma).”

28 new laws on repression
In his first official act, pro-Russian new Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili, who was sworn in on Sunday, signed 28 laws that have shocked the country. These include regulations that make it possible to arrest people indiscriminately to prevent possible future administrative violations. “It’s absurd,” says Tsiklauri. “Glasses are prohibited, masks are prohibited.” What is happening in Georgia is more than just popular protest. It is an expression of resistance against a self-appointed government that seems to be steering the country towards a totalitarian regime. “The protest is all we have left – and people know it. “We cannot afford not to take to the streets,” Tsiklauri says emphatically.

But the government’s repression is not only expressed in violence. “It went back a little while. The strategic propaganda machine was started for this purpose,” Tsiklauri explains. Protesters are marginalized and their concerns ridiculed. According to Tsiklauri this was not successful. Former President Salome Zurabishvili, who sees himself as the last legitimate political force in Georgia, was invited to Trump’s inauguration — not the sitting president. A bitter pill for the pro-Russian rulers of the ‘Georgian Dream’ party. They believed Trump was on their side.

Women dance the warrior dance
The protest is becoming more creative every day, with three generations of Georgians taking to the streets. Every day a new motto is found by different groups, such as artists, musicians, IT students or teachers. Shortly before Christmas, demonstrators performed the traditional battle dance “Khorumi” together with dancers from the National Georgian Ballet “Sukhishvili” in Tbilisi. “It was incredibly emotional,” says Tsiklauri. “Young women led the way in the dance, even though it is traditionally led by men in combat gear. In Georgia, the dance is a powerful symbol of the defense of freedom.”

Opera singer Anita Rachvelishvili also brought the spirit of the protests to the streets by singing live for demonstrators on the streets. “Culture is a central part of our resistance,” Tsiklauri emphasizes. Yet the challenges remain enormous. “We are increasingly moving towards a totalitarian regime,” Tsiklauri warns. All institutions, except the opposition media, are already occupied by the ruling party. “Our economy cannot support this government isolated from the West for long,” Tsiklauri said. But despite the threats and setbacks, she remains hopeful. “The protest is not just a fight against the government. It is a fight for our future and that of Europe – and we are not giving up.”