The Ukrainian flag was torn down in Tbilisi central park

An unidentified man tore down the flag of Ukraine hanging on a flagpole in Tbilisi's central park; the Ukrainian embassy has demanded an investigation into the incident.

This was reported by Novosti Georgia.

The incident in Vake Park in Tbilisi, where the flags of Georgia, the EU, and Ukraine were hanging side by side, attracted attention after the video was posted on social media and distributed by the Mtavari TV channel.

The video shows a middle-aged man in a blue shirt and sunglasses fiddling with the flagpole for a long time, after which the flag starts to crawl down. He tears it down, takes it with him, and walks away.

The Mtavari TV channel claims that the video was shared on social media by the man who tore down the flag, and later his account became inaccessible. According to Mtavari, he is a supporter of the pro-Russian movement Alt-Info, an organization that has repeatedly pulled down EU flags during its rallies.

Ukraine's Charge d'Affaires in Georgia, Andriy Kasyanov, called the incident unacceptable.

"We have informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and will cooperate with the law enforcement agencies of Georgia to ensure that this incident is investigated and the perpetrators are brought to justice in accordance with Georgian law," Kasyanov said.

The leader of the opposition party Lelo Mamuka Khazaradze called the incident a provocation against the brotherhood of the Georgian and Ukrainian peoples and called for a ban on Alt-Info's activities.

Author - Olena Madiak, 08/05/2023