GEORGIA: OPPOSITION CONVOY ARRIVES IN TBILISI AND OPPOSITION LEADER CALLS FOR "BLOODLESS REVOLUTION"

Record ID: 643534

  • Title: GEORGIA: OPPOSITION CONVOY ARRIVES IN TBILISI AND OPPOSITION LEADER CALLS FOR "BLOODLESS REVOLUTION"
  • Date: 21st November 2003
  • Summary: (U6) TBILISI, GEORGIA (NOVEMBER 21, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) (NIGHT SCENES) 1. WIDE OF LINE OF CARS WITH LIGHTS ON AND HORNS BLARING DRIVING INTO TBILISI 0.10 2. WIDE OF CARS WITH OPPOSITION FLAGS DRIVING INTO TOWN 0.17 3. SLV OF TBILISI RESIDENTS WATCHING OPPOSITION CARS 0.23 4. VARIOUS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS DRIVING CARS, CHEERING AND WAVING FLAGS 0.32 5. WIDE OF LOCAL RESIDENTS APPLAUDING OPPOSITION CONVOY (2 SHOTS) 0.43 6. VARIOUS OF MORE OF OPPOSITION CARS AND RESIDENTS WAVING 0.52 7. SLV GROUP OF MEN WAVING AT PASSING OPPOSITION CAR 0.57 8. WIDE OF OPPOSITION CAR WITH FLAG AND HORN BLARING 1.02 9. WIDE OF LOCAL RESIDENTS CHANTING SLOGANS AND PROTESTOR IN OPPOSITION CAR WITH MEGAPHONE 1.12 10. VARIOUS OF CONVOY OF OPPOSITION CARS IN STREETS (3 SHOTS) 1.41 11. WIDE OF OPPOSITION LEADER MIKHAIL SAAKVASHVILI ENTERS BRIEFING HALL 1.46 12. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) OPPOSITION LEADER MIKHAIL SAAKVASHVILI, SAYING: "We are not dealing with protest rallies only, we are dealing with a wave of democratic discontent. We are dealing with a bloodless revolution - that is what it is called." 2.01 13. WIDE OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS DRIVING INTO "FREEDOM SQUARE" 2.08 14. SLV OF POLICE CORDON BLOCKING ROAD 2.14 15. SLV POLICE STANDING BY ROAD WATCHING OPPOSITION VEHICLES 2,17 16. WIDE OF OPPOSITION VEHICLES DRIVING IN ROAD AND SOUNDING HORNS 2.27 17. SLV PEOPLE WAITING FOR RALLY 2,32 18. VARIOUS OF THOUSANDS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS GATHERED IN "FREEDOM SQUARE" (ISTENING TO OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS SPEAKING FROM BALCONY (2 SHOTS) 2.45 19. VARIOUS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS WAVING FLAGS AND CHEERING (2 SHOTS) 2.59 20. CLOSE OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTER WITH POSTER OF MIKHAIL SAAKVASHVILI 3.03 21. WIDE OF SUPPORTERS WAVING FLAGS 3.11 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 6th December 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TBILISI, GEORGIA
  • Country: Georgia
  • Reuters ID: LVA2X52AOWXTZ1YWWSZ120UZKHB0
  • Story Text: Georgian opposition leader calls for 'bloodless
    revolution'.




    As many as 5,000 opposition supporters drove into
    the Georgian capital of Tbilisi late Friday (November 21)
    night.

    They had come from regions across the ex-Soviet state,
    the latest action in over two weeks of protest against a
    November 2002 parliament vote which they say the government
    stole.

    These protestors, met with warm cheers from Tbilisi
    residents, came to force the resignation of veteran
    President Eduard Shevardnadze.

    They blame Shevardnadze, who once served as the Soviet
    Union's foreign minister under Mikhail Gorbachev, for a
    stagnant economy and what many see as rampant corruption.

    Some opposition leaders have also said the crowd will
    stop the new parliament, which they say is illegitimate,
    from meeting for its first session on Saturday.

    At times the protestors came within metres of riot
    troops which had been deployed across the street earlier in
    the day. The troops had also closed off key government
    buildings, including parliament and President
    Shevardnadze's office.

    The atmosphere was tense as the opposition sped into
    town.

    One of the opposition leaders, Mikhail Saakvashvili,
    said that his forces were beginning a "bloodless
    revolution" against Shevardnadze.

    "We are not dealing with protest rallies only, we are
    dealing with a wave of democratic discontent. We are
    dealing with a bloodless revolution - that is what it is
    called," said Saakvashvili.

    As Saakvashvili spoke, his supporters left their cars
    and filled up one of Tbilisi's main intersections, "Freedom
    Square."
    It was here that Georgian protestors toppled a statue
    of Communist leader Vladimir Lenin when the Soviet Union
    collapsed in 1991. And it is here that the current
    opposition is hoping to begin the final push to get

    Shevardnadze out of office.




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