Anti-LGBT protesters burn flags, start fires and tear down float as they storm Georgia’s Pride parade

Anti-LGBT protesters stormed Georgia’s Pride parade on Saturday, tearing down a float, vandalizing the stage, setting fires and looting the event’s bar.

Thousands of right-wing protesters, who included Orthodox Christian clergy, were filmed scuffling with police, rushing the stage and burning rainbow flags, forcing the cancellation of the event in Tbilisi.

The organisers and Georgia’s president blamed anti-LGBT hate speech that preceded the event and said the police had failed to protect festival-goers.

President Salome Zurabishvili said the ruling Georgian Dream party had failed to condemn its followers who had openly incited aggression towards LGBT activists.