On July 11, thousands gathered outside Georgia’s national parliament in Tbilisi to mourn the death of Aleksandre Lashkarava, a local TV cameraman. Lashkarava was one of over 50 journalists injured in attacks by a violent far-right and anti-LGBTQ mob while attempting to cover what would have been Tbilisi Pride on July 5. 

Lashkarava, who worked for the local opposition TV channel TV Pirveli, had suffered a number of injuries, including a concussion. After undergoing surgery, he was discharged from hospital and was receiving treatment at home. An official cause of death has not been announced.

Sunday’s protests were led by civil rights organizations and activists demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili. Speakers accused the government and the Georgian Orthodox Church of sanctioning the violence. The church organized what was billed as a public prayer meeting on July 5, but priests and members of violent radical groups were seen threatening journalists.

At a government meeting on Monday, Gharibashvili said the administration condemned the July 5 violence and was investigating Lashkarava’s death. He repeated an earlier statement that the planned Pride March was a provocation and said that opposition groups were using the tragedy to further their political aims.