February 2 massacre
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| February 2 massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of 1991–1992 Georgian coup d'état | |
| Location | Tbilisi, Georgia |
| Date | February 2, 1992 |
| Target | Pro-Gamsakhurdia demonstrators |
| Deaths | 23 (unofficial) |
| Injured | At least 183 (unofficial) |
| Perpetrators | Military Council |
| Motive | Protest dispersal |
The February 2 massacre (February 2, 1992 meeting/demonstration/rally shooting) (Georgian: ორი თებერვლის [მასობრივი] ხოცვა-ჟლეტა/2 თებერვლის მიტინგის დახვრეტა) was a pro-Zviad Gamsakhurdia protest in Tbilisi, Georgia in 1992 that was violently suppressed by the forces of the Military Council. The death toll from the massacre is estimated to range in the dozens; however, the exact number of casualties remains unknown to this day.[1]
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It is considered the bloodiest day in modern history of Georgia in terms of crackdown against peaceful protests. Following a two-week 1991–1992 Georgian coup d'état, Zviad Gamsakhurdia[2] who had won presidential elections on 26 May 1991, was toppled on 6 January 1992 in Tbilisi[3]. As he fled to Armenia[4] and later to Chechnya,[5] his supporters organized a campaign of civil disobedience with the aim of restoration of the deposed government.
In the wake of his departure, spontaneous protests erupted in the capital, organized by supporters of Gamsakhurdia, referred to as "Zviadists". Several large demonstrations were violently dispersed by the interim government, led by the trio of Tengiz Kitovani, Tengiz Sigua, and Jaba Ioseliani. Among them the most notable were on 3 January 1992 [6][7][8][9][10] near "Didube" metro station and railway tracks and 7 January 1992 [11][12][13] near "Delisi" metro station which left several people dead after protesters were shot at by unidentified gunmen. ITN and its prominent journalist James Mates reported on these events. Also they were mentioned by Russia's Channel 1 and Germany's ARD Taggesschau [14][15][16] unlike February 2, 1992 shootings.
After mass rallies held in Tbilisi on 29 and 30 January, Jaba Ioseliani returned from Samegrelo where he had been leading a military campaign against the forces loyal to Gamsakhurdia. In a TV interview, he vowed to restore order in the capital, threatening to "shoot dead every provocateur on the spot".[17][18]
