Georgia holds three-hour warning strike. Photo and Video
Georgia strikes for three hours
On 15 January, employers and employees across Georgia participated in a three-hour strike under the slogan “Georgia Strikes!”
The warning strike, which called for new parliamentary elections, started at 3:00 PM and lasted until 6:00 PM. Participants included private companies, universities, banks, cafes, restaurants, and more.
Salome Zourabichvili, Georgia’s fifth president, also joined the protest.
“I stand with these people. This may be new for Georgian politics, but it’s a familiar form of peaceful protest worldwide,” said Zourabichvili, who remains widely regarded by many as their president, despite her term ending in December 2024.
On one of Tbilisi’s streets, a group of unidentified individuals attacked the strikers. Additionally, it was reported that eggs were thrown at the protesters from a residential building on the same street. Social media also circulated a video showing several people assaulting a protester.
Even a fast-food chain owned by government-aligned businessman Soso Phakadze announced its participation in the strike:
Liberty Bank employees on strike:
Striking TBC Bank employees attempt to block the road:
Performance protest on one of Tbilisi’s central avenues:
Tbilisi’s central Rustaveli Avenue blocked shortly after strike began:
Doctors, unable to pause their work for long as essential service providers, also staged a brief symbolic strike lasting a few minutes:
Stores in one of the largest shopping malls, East Point, were also closed:
Students of the Tbilisi Academy of Arts staged their strike in the university lobby:
The Municipal Council of Chkhorotsku in western Georgia also joined the strike:
Strike at the “Amirani” cinema:
Strike at Caucasus University:
Secondary schools also joined the strike:
Striking employees of internet provider Silknet:
Strike of mobile operator Magti:
Striking employees of Bank of Georgia:
Strike at Fresco supermarket chain:
Taxi drivers staged individual strikes:
“We will occupy the university entrances and lobby until our demands are met,” said students of the Batumi Arts University as they joined the strike.
