36 years have passed since the tragedy of April 9, 1989.

On April 9, 1989, in the early morning hours, units of the Soviet Union's armed forces violently dispersed a peaceful protest rally in the center of Tbilisi, near the Parliament building, resulting in casualties.

As a result of the crackdown, 21 people died. Thousands of citizens gathered in front of Parliament were poisoned by an unidentified type of gas.

On April 9, 1991, the then Supreme Council declared this date as the Day of the Restoration of Georgia’s State Independence.