Georgians hold vigil to mark April 9 tragedy, renewing calls for democracy, freedom

Citizens gathered overnight on Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the April 9 tragedy, a violent crackdown by Soviet forces that left 21 people dead and became a defining moment in Georgia’s modern history.

This year’s vigil, held under heavy police presence near the Parliament building, took on renewed political significance as it was joined by participants of the ongoing pro-European protests that began on November 28, 2024, following the government’s decision late last year to halt the country’s EU integration until 2028.

Demonstrators, the parents of those detained during the protests, spent the night at the symbolic site in solidarity with the memory of those who died in 1989 and in support of imprisoned protesters from recent months.

The overnight gathering was initiated by a new civic movement called For the Freedom of Prisoners of Conscience, founded by the parents of demonstrators currently in detention. In a ceremony, renowned opera singer Paata Burchuladze led the crowd in an oath of allegiance to Georgia’s independence.

April 9, 1989, is etched into the country’s collective memory as a turning point. On that day, Soviet troops used force, including firearms, tear gas, and toxic agents, to disperse a peaceful rally demanding Georgia’s independence. The violence left 21 dead – many of them women- and hundreds injured.