The United States and the European Union have strongly denounced the attack by some religious groups on a rally organized by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community (LGBT) in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi last week.
"The United States condemns the May 17th attack on a peaceful march to mark the international day against homophobia in Tbilisi, Georgia. Such acts of intolerance have no place in democratic societies," U.S. State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell told a press conference on Monday.
"The United States places great importance on the protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender persons around the world," he added.
Meanwhile, an EU delegation in Tbilisi said in a statement that it was "dismayed by the scenes of brutal intolerance and violence committed by some demonstrators on 17 May with a declared desire to prevent other demonstrators from expressing themselves peacefully."
"The EU calls on the Government of Georgia to uphold the international and European standards of freedom and equality in dignity and rights to which it has committed itself [and] urges Georgia to defend the human rights of all its citizens using all the means at its disposal," the statement added.
A violent mob of about 5,000 people, including priests, attacked some 50 members of the LGBT as they gathered in Tbilisi's main square on May 17 to mark the International Day Against Homophobia. Some 30 people, including police officers, were injured in the ensuing violence.
Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili denounced the attack, saying "the right to gather peacefully and to freely express one's opinion is fundamental to our democracy."
"Every Georgian citizen benefits fully and equally from this right. Acts of violence, discrimination and restriction of the rights of others will not be tolerated, and any perpetrators of such acts will be dealt with according to the law," he added.
Friday's violent attack on the LGBT community is seen as a set back for Georgia's EU membership ambitions. Notably, majority of the population in Georgia, as well as most other East European nations and former Soviet Republics, oppose the liberal social values upheld by the Western nations.
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