watching a coup, live [Updated]
There's some crazy stuff going on in Georgia (Russia).
I'm lucky enough to get Euro News on my digital cable. None of the other news channels seem to interested in this rather important news. Well, at least I think it's important when opposition supporters seize a government.
Euro News is broadcasting live from Freedom Square in Tblisi, Georgia. I can't imagine living in a place where something like this can happen. The footage is startling, to say the least. Chaos, anarchy, etc.
If you happen to get Euro News, watch this unfold. I'm going to try to get a picture off of the tv just so you can see what this crowd looks like.
Ok, I got some pictures, but they do not do justice to what is actually being shown. This is what you call a massive demonstration. The police force, or armed forces, were overwhelmed by the sheer size of the opposition crowd and didn't try to stop them.
They are demanding that President Eduard Shevardnadze resign, but he refuses to do so thus far. I actually watched him being led out of the parliament by bodyguards as the opposition crowd surged in.
Am I the only one who finds this fascinating?
CNN reports that the police actually ran away from the protesters.
Cinderella Blogefeller has much more on this.
You've also got to read Living With Caucasians, who is blogging from Tblisi. This story alone should get you over there:
OK. We went down to Parliament. Gio and his friends stayed with us, though we really didn't need it. Gio's mother was there; there were people with babies there; it was Not a Problem. No sign of police--they had melted away and gone home. People were holding candles and watching the giant video projection screen that I guess Ajara TV had abandoned when they ran away. There wasn't even that much public drunkenness! Gio and his friend gave us a ride home. We rode back up Rustaveli with Wilson whooping out the window and Gio waving a flag. It was not, however, a National Party flag or a Georgian flag. It was Guns 'n' Roses. Clif says we should e-mail Axl and tell him that his party was victorious.
Go, read.
Comments
Please tell me the opposition aren't some sort of Islamist.
Posted by: robin | November 22, 2003 10:25 AM
WOW.
thanks for sharing....
I'm wondering (but not surprised) why we're not seeing any of that over here??
It makes me wanna break out of this annoying north american bubble that the rest of the world accuses me of being in.
It really shouldn't be this big an effort to stay informed.
(I just flipped on CNN, and of course it's all MJ, all the time. this is gonna get real old, real quick. snore)
Posted by: celestial blue | November 22, 2003 10:26 AM
Michele, I was part of the 2001 demonstrations to oust then President of the Philippines Estrada. The figure at its climax was debatably between 1.5 to 2.0 million but in a central capitol city like where it happened the entire nation got paralyzed.
Posted by: OF Jay | November 22, 2003 11:45 AM
Thanks for reminding me that I have EuroNews too. Good old channel 103.
Posted by: Bill McCabe | November 22, 2003 12:03 PM
I prefer the total disconnect I get when I speak of Gruzia to the confusion I get when I speak of Georgia. My father was Gruzian by birth (arrived in the U.S. as an infant) so I have more awareness of the area than most folk.
Posted by: triticale | November 22, 2003 12:18 PM
Try reading Cinderella Bloggerfella for more on what's going on in Georgia. He's very well informed on Eastern European politics, translates articles from the Eastern European press, and has been blogging about events in Georgia pretty consistantly over the past couple of weeks.
Posted by: Joel | November 22, 2003 12:49 PM
At least in my Georgia, the opposition seized power by winning an election.
Posted by: McGehee | November 22, 2003 01:09 PM
Quite, right, Michele: This is huge. I saw the bulletin on Fox's web site, so began scrolling through some of the 100 channels offered by our satellite provider, seeking news. Kobe (click) Jacko (Click) informercial for skin care products (Click) Man reunited with lost dog (click). What the hell is wrong with these people? Real, history-making news is happening in Georgia, right now and they can't be bothered to air anything on it.
I think I'll go clean the bathroom
Posted by: Belize042 | November 22, 2003 01:19 PM
You do live in a country where it can happen. November 2000. Unfortunately, the public is too doped up on reality TV and celebrity gossip to riot when their election is stolen from them.
Posted by: Luke | November 22, 2003 05:22 PM
Luke: yawn.
Posted by: Andrea Harris | November 22, 2003 06:22 PM
Luke: You just can't take over a government with puppetry and stilt walkers.
Posted by: michele | November 22, 2003 06:32 PM
Can you read? I said riot.
Posted by: Luke | November 23, 2003 06:47 AM
Even in a riot, they'd still bring their paper mache crafts.
Posted by: michele | November 23, 2003 06:49 AM
Yeah, that was pretty shocking yesterday. I walked into the gym and CNN was showing live pictures, but at the bottom their little box just said "Protestors storm Parliament". My first thought was: "Geez, sometimes Dubya pisses me off, too, but I wouldn't get THAT bent out of shape about his visit..."
Posted by: Chrissy | November 23, 2003 06:58 AM
Bitter, Luke?
Posted by: Evil Otto | November 23, 2003 08:40 AM