In Tbilisi, a large-scale peaceful demonstration and hunger strike took place as thousands gathered to demand the restoration of Georgian independence from Soviet control. This mobilization was part of a larger wave of nationalistic movements across the Soviet Union during the late 1980s. Protesters sought to express their aspirations for self-determination amidst a backdrop of increasing political change and liberalization under Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's policies of glasnost and perestroika. However, the gathering was met with a violent response from the Soviet military forces, which repressed the protest harshly. The dispersal resulted in approximately 20 deaths and many more injuries, shocking both the local and international community.The atmosphere in Tbilisi was charged with a sense of urgency as demonstrators spoke of centuries of struggle for independence and national identity. As the Soviet Army intervened, the situation escalated quickly, with soldiers using force against unarmed civilians. This brutal crackdown not only highlighted the tensions between local desires for autonomy and the Soviet government's unwillingness to relinquish control but also caught the attention of global media, leading to widespread condemnation of the Soviet actions. This incident marked a critical point in Georgia's path towards independence and further fueled nationalist sentiments that would culminate in the eventual collapse of Soviet authority in the region.