2009 Georgian demonstrations
In 2009, a mass rally by a coalition of opposition parties in took place in Georgia against the government of President Mikheil Saakashvili. Thousands of people demonstrated, mainly in the capital, Tbilisi, starting on 9 April 2009, demanding Saakashvili's resignation. On the first day of demonstrations, up to 40,000 people gathered in Tbilisi. Protests continued for over three months, although fewer people participated as time passed than during the first days. On 26 May 2009, the Georgian Independence Day, 60,000 protesters took part. Although peaceful at first, there were incidents of fighting between the Georgian police and protesters. The daily rallies gradually dwindled and ended, without achieving any tangible results, on 24 July –107 days after they kicked off.
2009 Georgian demonstrations | |||
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Day 2 of demonstrations | |||
Date | 9 April – 24 July 2009 | ||
Location | |||
Caused by | Election controversy Political corruption Poverty Effects of the 2008 Russo-Georgian war Human rights violations Mass incarceration | ||
Goals | Resignation of Mikheil Saakashvili Release of political prisoners Rejection of NATO membership and proclamation of neutrality (some) Rapprochement with Russia (some) | ||
Methods | Demonstrations, civil disobedience, road blockades | ||
Resulted in | No policy/leadership change in response to the protests | ||
Parties | |||
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Lead figures | |||