Georgia Protests Erupt, Calling for Justice in Stalin Icon Vandalism
Protesters in Georgia demand severe consequences for a woman accused of vandalizing a newly-installed religious icon portraying Josef Stalin in Tbilisi Tensions escalate as a large demonstration is held, insisting on harsh punishment for the accused
In Tbilisi on Saturday, a significant protest took place demanding severe consequences for a woman accused of vandalizing a religious icon portraying Josef Stalin, which had been newly erected in the Georgian capital. Tensions remained high following the incident, highlighting the deep divisions in Georgia over the legacy of the former Soviet dictator in his native land.
Thousands of Orthodox followers and backers of the Alt-Info pro-Russian ultra-conservative movement assembled on Saturday in front of the national parliament before marching through the city towards the cathedral.
The police observed the crowd as they were addressed by a speaker expressing concern about the attack on the icon. An estimate from a Reuters reporter put the crowd at around 3,000 people.
A Georgian nationalist party, called the Alliance of Patriots, which has also expressed pro-Russian views, said it had gifted the icon to the cathedral.
The icon is located at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Irakli Gedenidze/Reuters
The icon's side panel depicts Georgian-born Stalin, a staunch atheist and suppressor of religion in the Soviet Union, receiving blessings from St Matrona of Moscow, a Russian Orthodox saint, during World War Two. The police started an investigation for "petty hooliganism" and interviewed the woman responsible for damaging the icon.
Orthodox Church activists and believers in Georgia are calling for criminal investigation and potential jail time for a woman who they claim insulted an icon and their beliefs. Local reports indicate that they also are pushing for stricter laws regarding such incidents.
The believers lined up on Saturday to kiss the part of the icon depicting Stalin, and placed flowers nearby. Georgian media outlets have reported that Orthodox activists attempted to storm the woman's apartment in Tbilisi, but were stopped by the police.
