Alan Purcell visited the April 9 memorial, where he honored the memory of the fallen heroes.

The U.S. Embassy also marked the date with a statement on social media:

“On April 9, we remember the brutality committed by the Soviet army in 1989. Today, 37 years later, we honor the 21 Georgians who were killed and the hundreds injured while participating in a peaceful demonstration for Georgia’s freedom,” the embassy wrote.

For reference, 37 years have passed since the April 9 tragedy. In the early hours of April 9, 1989, Soviet military units dispersed a peaceful protest in central Tbilisi near the parliament building, resulting in casualties.

As a result of the crackdown, 21 people were killed, and thousands gathered in front of parliament were poisoned by an unidentified gas.

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