The appearance of public officials near the April 9 Memorial was met with an uproar. Citizens did not allow Konstantine Zarnadze, Deputy Chair of the “Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia” faction of the Tbilisi City Assembly, to approach the April 9 Memorial. Similarly, David Patsatsia, the Minister for Internally Displaced Persons from the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, was also prevented from reaching the site.

The noise and confrontation between Zarnadze and the citizens began after he attempted to approach the April 9 Memorial to lay flowers.

“I’m alone among all these people, and I’m not afraid for a second. These are godless individuals who didn’t allow me to reach the memorial.

The April 9 Memorial doesn’t belong to any political party. It belongs to the people of this country who honor the souls of those who sacrificed themselves here.

When I come as a citizen and want to decorate this memorial with flowers and light a candle, they don’t let me. They curse, swear, behave rudely, say all sorts of filthy things—there is no greater shame than this. First and foremost, they are disrespecting themselves,” said Konstantine Zarnadze.

For context, citizens spent the night in front of the Georgian Parliament at the April 9 Memorial. They have blocked Rustaveli Avenue and surrounded the memorial with a chain.