Activists launched five days of LGBT Pride celebrations last Thursday and had planned a "March for Dignity" on Monday in central Tbilisi, shrugging off criticism from the church and conservatives who said the event had no place in Georgia.
However, the march plan was disrupted by counter-protesters before it could begin.
Video footage posted by LGBT activists showed men scaling their building to reach their balcony, where they tore down rainbow flags and were seen entering the office of Tbilisi Pride.
Other footage showed a journalist with a bloodied mouth and nose, and a man on a scooter driving at journalists in the street.
After the pride march was called off, some anti-march demonstrators staged a prayer outside a church facing the parliament building, while others danced to traditional music in celebration.
Police said more than 50 journalists had been targeted in the violence.
Media also reported that a tourist had been stabbed because he was allegedly wearing an earring.
The interior ministry, which said eight people were detained over the violence, had urged LGBT activists to abandon the march for security reasons.
We once again publicly call on the participants of 'Tbilisi Pride' to refrain from the 'March of Dignity' … due to the scale of counter-manifestations planned by opposing groups," it said.
In the run-up, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said he viewed the march as "not reasonable", saying it risked causing public confrontation and that it was not acceptable to most Georgians, the Civil Georgia media outlet reported.
President Salome Zourabichvili, who visited one of the injured journalists, said the violence was a "violation of the core fabric of Georgia".
Activists launched five days of LGBT Pride celebrations last Thursday and had planned a "March for Dignity" on Monday in central Tbilisi, shrugging off criticism from the church and conservatives who said the event had no place in Georgia.
However, the march plan was disrupted by counter-protesters before it could begin.
Video footage posted by LGBT activists showed men scaling their building to reach their balcony, where they tore down rainbow flags and were seen entering the office of Tbilisi Pride.
Other footage showed a journalist with a bloodied mouth and nose, and a man on a scooter driving at journalists in the street.
After the pride march was called off, some anti-march demonstrators staged a prayer outside a church facing the parliament building, while others danced to traditional music in celebration.
Police said more than 50 journalists had been targeted in the violence.
Media also reported that a tourist had been stabbed because he was allegedly wearing an earring.
The interior ministry, which said eight people were detained over the violence, had urged LGBT activists to abandon the march for security reasons.
In the run-up, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said he viewed the march as "not reasonable", saying it risked causing public confrontation and that it was not acceptable to most Georgians, the Civil Georgia media outlet reported.
President Salome Zourabichvili, who visited one of the injured journalists, said the violence was a "violation of the core fabric of Georgia".
Activists launched five days of LGBT Pride celebrations last Thursday and had planned a "March for Dignity" on Monday in central Tbilisi, shrugging off criticism from the church and conservatives who said the event had no place in Georgia.
However, the march plan was disrupted by counter-protesters before it could begin.
Video footage posted by LGBT activists showed men scaling their building to reach their balcony, where they tore down rainbow flags and were seen entering the office of Tbilisi Pride.
Other footage showed a journalist with a bloodied mouth and nose, and a man on a scooter driving at journalists in the street.
After the pride march was called off, some anti-march demonstrators staged a prayer outside a church facing the parliament building, while others danced to traditional music in celebration.
The Pride parade (canceled).