{"id":69903,"date":"2021-07-15T07:42:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-15T03:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/the-strategy-of-pro-kremlin-violent-groups-burning-of-the-western-symbolic-should-be-normalized\/"},"modified":"2021-09-13T17:30:29","modified_gmt":"2021-09-13T13:30:29","slug":"the-strategy-of-pro-kremlin-violent-groups-burning-of-the-western-symbolic-should-be-normalized","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/the-strategy-of-pro-kremlin-violent-groups-burning-of-the-western-symbolic-should-be-normalized\/","title":{"rendered":"The strategy of Pro-Kremlin Violent Groups: Burning of the Western Symbolic should be Normalized!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Anti-Western narratives were predominantly <a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/ka\/research\/radikalizatsia-religiis-sakhelit-da-politikuri-oponentebis-cinaaghmdeg-vin-ristvis-iqenebs?utm_source=Facebook&amp;utm_medium=organic&amp;utm_campaign=060721-radikalizacia-religia-girsebis-marshi&amp;fbclid=IwAR35AGU2pa7sYZe9m8THKRIR_LoXeybdx0GLfqowv0sHVthsxngA_x9v7Hk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">nurtured<\/a> by the Levan Vasadze-linked Media Outlet Alt-Info. In addition to actively participating in organizing the anti-Pride demonstrations of July 5<sup>th<\/sup>, the hosts of Alt-Info were actively spreading controversial messages aimed at mobilizing violent groups.<\/p>\n<p>After July 5th, the violent rhetoric of Alt-Info became more assertive and was aimed at:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Western embassies and diplomatic representatives; The EU and the US;<\/li>\n<li>Media outlets not controlled by the government and individual journalists;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The hosts of Alt-Info, who openly stated that aggression had to become the standard for the political and ideological battle, emphasized the necessity to establish a full-fledged TV channel and empty the informational environment from the media outlets having a critical stance towards the current government. The violent threats emanated from the anti-Western violent groups revealed the following strategic aims:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The US and the EU are no longer untouchable;<\/li>\n<li>The wrath of Georgian people has to be directed towards the EU and the US;<\/li>\n<li>Removing the cross in front of the parliament would result in the attack against the embassy and the destruction of their symbols;<\/li>\n<li>Burning of Western symbolic (flags) should be normalized;<\/li>\n<li>Processes will develop so that the process of European integration will be turned upside down;<\/li>\n<li>The protest against the Western colonizers will convert into a political movement;<\/li>\n<li>Liberalism will be replaced with Christian-conservativism, and the state will be governed together with the \u2018mother church\u2019;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"color: #e74c3c;\"><strong>Anti-Western Messages and Political Agenda<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #f1c40f;\"><strong>The US and the EU are no longer untouchable <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/4049816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Shota Martinenko:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cSimilar to how they were scorning our sanctities for decades, we will also demonstratively do the same. This will be witnessed by the whole world, that Georgia has changed its political consciousness and neither the European Union nor the US and their symbols are untouchable in our country.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #f1c40f;\">The wrath of Georgian people has to be directed towards the EU and the US<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/4048086\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Shota Martinenko:<\/a> <\/strong>\u201cThe West is the main force trying to normalize this impurity here. The West propagates homosexuality and imposes demands to demolish the faith, culture, identity and the free will of the Georgian people. Therefore, the wrath, hatred of our people should be primarily directed against the US and the EU, which are the masterminds behind this impurity in Georgia.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/?video_id=4050327\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Shota Martinenko:<\/a> <\/strong>\u201cWe will not win unless we direct our responsive attack to the West \u2013 the main initiator seeking to kill our national identity and weaken the church. The EU and the US should suffer an attack on their reputation.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #f1c40f;\"><strong>Removing the cross in front of the parliament would result in the attack against the EU\/US embassies and the destruction of their symbols<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/4049804\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Giorgi Kardava:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cThe EU office is quite near, and so is the US embassy. Be aware that in case of the removal of the St. Nino cross, bad things will happen. The process will become inevitable, and God may be our witness, we did not plan this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/4049802\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Zura Makharadze:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cNot only will the EU flag be burned tomorrow, but also we will explain to Nata Peradze what it means to behave in such a way with a religious symbol. Afterwards, we will head to the embassies, which are the main actors behind this\u2026 The events of Monday and Tuesday will be child\u2019s play&#8230;\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #f1c40f;\"><strong>Burning of Western symbolic (flags) should be normalized<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/4049679\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Shota Martinenko:<\/a> <\/strong>\u201cThe real inception for this perversion is the liberal West; therefore, the main attack should be initiated on them. We have to strike their authority because they are attacking our national identity and our Christianity. The act of burning their flag has to become normalized. This was inconceivable a year ago, but it happened this year, and tomorrow onwards, this has to become an everyday practice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/4049672\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Shota Martinenko:<\/a> <\/strong>\u201cThe burning of the EU flag is an event of a special significance\u2026 This has to be normalized and transformed into a fighting mechanism. This practice has to be established.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #f1c40f;\"><strong>Processes will develop so that the process of European integration will be turned upside down<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/4049803\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Giorgi Kardava:<\/a> <\/strong>\u201cWith regards to the EU and the US, to tell the truth, they are the ones responsible for this provocation, as they are the main actors behind this altercation. Tomorrow\u2019s events will turn the 30-year-long process of European Integration upside down, and we will not hold back. Don\u2019t even think that we are afraid of something; we will do whatever it takes.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #f1c40f;\"><strong>The protest against the Western colonizers will convert into a political movement<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LhAjlH92dcg&amp;t=688s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Zura Makharadze:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cThere will be an unprecedented unity of the Georgian nation, and we will show this unity to the whole diplomatic corps, \u2018vice-regents\u2019 from outside, to the colonial administration and their lackeys in the government and the opposition that the conservative drive will not perish in one day, it will conserve and transform into a political movement.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #f1c40f;\"><strong>Liberalism will be replaced with Christian-conservativism, and the state will be governed together with the \u2018mother church\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/live\/?v=186139410191666&amp;ref=watch_permalink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Zura Makharadze:<\/strong><\/a> Our primary aim is to have a national government, national laws, which would stand alongside the \u2018mother-church.\u2019 The nation and the clergy will work together and achieve prosperity. True prosperity is when a national government, together with the mother-church, governs and builds this country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/4049592\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Zura Makharadze:<\/a> <\/strong>\u201cWe will get to the point where Georgia will have a national government, and liberalism will be replaced with a Christian-conservative governance.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #e74c3c;\"><strong>Media as a tool for Political Battle and threats about emptying the Georgian informational environment from the media outlets not controlled by the government.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The representatives of the violent groups name the creation of a full-fledged Media Channel as a precondition for transforming into a political movement and thus emphasize the importance of removing the non-conforming media outlets (\u201cFormula,\u201d \u201cMtavari\u201d and \u201cTV Pirveli\u201d) from the Georgian informational space.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/?video_id=4050876\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Giorgi Kardava:<\/a> <\/strong>\u201cIf we have at least one full-fledged, same calibre media among these hyenas, then we will end them. The whole Georgia watches Alt-Info! Everyone! And we will most certainly do this! Our next step is to create a media channel, and none of their censorships will hold us back.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The hosts of Alt-info, who at the same time were organizing the violent demonstrations on July 5th, were justifying the violence against journalists using the wrath of people, which, according to them, cannot be controlled. The hosts themselves were targeting media platforms (\u201cFormula,\u201d \u201cMtavari,\u201d and \u201cTV Pirveli\u201d not regulated by the government.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/4050875\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Giorgi Kardava:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cLet it be known that starting today, every journalist that works under the channels linked with the United National Movement (\u201cFormula,\u201d &#8221;Mtavari\u201d and \u201cTV Pirveli\u201d) are direct enemies of our Georgia! Enemies of our country!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/4049586\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Zura Makharadze:<\/a> <\/strong>\u201cYou still don\u2019t realize how much aggression did they [journalists] invoke into people. If a similar altercation happened, no one would be able to stop them. People despise you, so make your brains work\u2026\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>In contrast to the claim of Alt-Info hosts that they were unable to control the furious crowd, alternative <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/?v=3129811593972578\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">footage<\/a> demonstrates how Makharadze was negotiating with the chief of police division Vazha Siradze during the counter rally directed against the silent protest of July 6th. Makharadze asks Siradze to lower the LGBT flag hoisted in front of the St. Nino cross. After Siradze answers that he cannot approach the protesters, Makharadze promises to control the crowd during his absence.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cHow much time do you need? I guarantee you, tell me how much time you need to get there\u2026 I can assure you that nothing will happen here for 10 minutes\u2026\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The host of Alt-Info personally targeted and verbally insulted <a href=\"https:\/\/tabula.ge\/ge\/news\/670117-mediakoalitsia-irakli-absandzis-dakavebas-mediis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Irakli Absnadze<\/a>, the journalist of Georgian Public Broadcaster who protested the violence against journalists and criticized the inaction of the authorities.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/?video_id=4050870\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Giorgi Kardava:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cThis worthless f*got [Irakli Absnadze] is financed from our money and works for the Public Broadcaster! So kick him out from there, so he can go and work for \u201cTV Pirveli\u201d or \u201cFormula.\u201d But we will reach you there too because every media outlet operates using the stolen money.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The host of Alt-Info explicitly stated that if they came to power, they would prevent the whole media system from open broadcasting.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/altertv001\/posts\/118284140510065\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Shota Martinenko:<\/a> <\/strong>\u201cOnce we gain power, you won\u2019t stand a chance. We will completely remove your media system from broadcasting. We will cancel it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #e74c3c;\"><strong>Aggression as a Weapon for Political and Ideological Battle<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The hosts of Alt-info have proclaimed several times that aggression is a necessary weapon for an ideological and political fight; therefore, using violence should become standard practice.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/?video_id=4048156\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Shota Martinenko:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cAggression is a necessary weapon for the political and ideological battles. No one has ever won anything without it, and now they are telling us that we speak aggressively. This is a necessary condition. Yes, we have to make it a standard practice. Aggression should be directed against every \u2018liberast\u2019 in the mundane life, you may even call it psychological bullying, but it should be a positive thing. This has to be a method of a political fight in everyday life.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #e74c3c;\"><strong>About Alt-Info<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>TV Alt-Info is linked with the political party of Levan Vasadze, \u201cUnity, Essence, Hope.\u201d After Facebook removed all Alt-Info-related accounts due to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiotavisupleba.ge\/a\/30934069.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">coordinated unauthentic actions<\/a>, it obtained a broadcasting license and started broadcasting in 2021. Shota Martinenko is recorded as its director, who owns 50% of its shares, while another 50% is owned by Tsiala Morgoshia.<\/p>\n<p>Alt-Info is associated with a non-profit (non-commercial) legal entity, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/bs.napr.gov.ge\/GetBlob?pid=400&amp;bid=boVlyOwlsX3qmYsntmLmFMyQLSGl%5bngq8IR5AhWIuEMAmwiCo4U5oAGzS6g82zMN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Alternative for Georgia,<\/a>\u201d which was registered on January 30, 2019. According to the National Agency of Public Registry, board members of the organization include Konstantine Morgoshia, Zurab Makharadze, Shota Martinenko, Irakli Kizilashvili and dual Russian-Georgian citizen Giorgi Kardava.<\/p>\n<p>Vasadze is the representative of the Christian-evangelist organization \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/ka\/myth\/ojakhebis-msoplio-kongresis-rusuli-kavshirebi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">World Congress of Families<\/a>\u201d (WCF) to Georgia. Using the moral obligation to protect \u201cnatural families&#8221; as a fa\u00e7ade, the organization fights against the spread of LGBTQ+ rights. WCF is also connected with a Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeev sanctioned for the events in Crimea and also with Aleksey Komov \u2013 the official representative of the WCF to Russia and is closely linked with the founder of the \u201cEurasia Movement&#8221; Aleksandr Dugin. Vasadze himself has close ties with <a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/ka\/myth\/dugini-zogiert-shemtkhvevashi-chven-idzulebulebi-vkhdebit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dugin<\/a>, who is very often invited to \u201cAlt-Info.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Vasadze-linked groups and Alt-Info hosts were actively involved in the violent demonstrations against the Tbilisi Pride in Tbilisi 2021. Dugin himself was cheering the developed violent events on social media.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/E18393E183A3E18392E18398E1839CE18398.png\" alt=\"1\" width=\"412\" height=\"193\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"779a8729-5293-4b0a-aa8c-e56cdd01351d\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In 2019, Vasadze initiated to develop a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/on.ge\/story\/39210-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%94%E1%83%95%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C-%E1%83%95%E1%83%90%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%AB%E1%83%94-%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%AE%E1%83%90%E1%83%9A%E1%83%AE%E1%83%9D-%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%96%E1%83%9B%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98%E1%83%96%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%90%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%93%E1%83%90-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%98%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%A8%E1%83%94%E1%83%A5%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%90%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A1%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%A1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">public legion<\/a>,\u201d which would patrol the city during the planned demonstrations.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">.tb_button {padding:1px;cursor:pointer;border-right: 1px solid #8b8b8b;border-left: 1px solid #FFF;border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;}.tb_button.hover {borer:2px outset #def; background-color: #f8f8f8 !important;}.ws_toolbar {z-index:100000} .ws_toolbar .ws_tb_btn {cursor:pointer;border:1px solid #555;padding:3px}   .tb_highlight{background-color:yellow} .tb_hide {visibility:hidden} .ws_toolbar img {padding:2px;margin:0px}<\/style>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">.tb_button {padding:1px;cursor:pointer;border-right: 1px solid #8b8b8b;border-left: 1px solid #FFF;border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;}.tb_button.hover {borer:2px outset #def; background-color: #f8f8f8 !important;}.ws_toolbar {z-index:100000} .ws_toolbar .ws_tb_btn {cursor:pointer;border:1px solid #555;padding:3px}   .tb_highlight{background-color:yellow} .tb_hide {visibility:hidden} .ws_toolbar img {padding:2px;margin:0px}<\/style>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">.tb_button {padding:1px;cursor:pointer;border-right: 1px solid #8b8b8b;border-left: 1px solid #FFF;border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;}.tb_button.hover {borer:2px outset #def; background-color: #f8f8f8 !important;}.ws_toolbar {z-index:100000} .ws_toolbar .ws_tb_btn {cursor:pointer;border:1px solid #555;padding:3px}   .tb_highlight{background-color:yellow} .tb_hide {visibility:hidden} .ws_toolbar img {padding:2px;margin:0px}<\/style>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">.tb_button {padding:1px;cursor:pointer;border-right: 1px solid #8b8b8b;border-left: 1px solid #FFF;border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;}.tb_button.hover {borer:2px outset #def; background-color: #f8f8f8 !important;}.ws_toolbar {z-index:100000} .ws_toolbar .ws_tb_btn {cursor:pointer;border:1px solid #555;padding:3px}   .tb_highlight{background-color:yellow} .tb_hide {visibility:hidden} .ws_toolbar img {padding:2px;margin:0px}<\/style>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">.tb_button {padding:1px;cursor:pointer;border-right: 1px solid #8b8b8b;border-left: 1px solid #FFF;border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;}.tb_button.hover {borer:2px outset #def; background-color: #f8f8f8 !important;}.ws_toolbar {z-index:100000} .ws_toolbar .ws_tb_btn {cursor:pointer;border:1px solid #555;padding:3px}   .tb_highlight{background-color:yellow} .tb_hide {visibility:hidden} .ws_toolbar img {padding:2px;margin:0px}<\/style>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anti-Western narratives were predominantly nurtured by the Levan Vasadze-linked Media Outlet Alt-Info. In addition to actively participating in organizing the anti-Pride demonstrations of July 5th, the hosts of Alt-Info were actively spreading controversial messages aimed at mobilizing violent groups. After July 5th, the violent rhetoric of Alt-Info became more assertive and was aimed at: Western [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":69904,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15012],"tags":[15819,20717,18595,20866,18556,12036],"country":[],"violation":[],"topic":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69903"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69903"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69903\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69903"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=69903"},{"taxonomy":"violation","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/violation?post=69903"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=69903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}