On April 15, 2010, the Ilia State University bookstore Ligamus hosted the presentation of young author Erekle Deisadze’s book “Saidumlo Siroba” (Secret Dickness (Bullshit)”

About three weeks later, on May 3, radical Orthodox groups, including the Union of Orthodox Christian Parents, held a protest in front of Ilia State University. The demonstrators condemned the book and demanded the resignation of the university’s rector, Gigi Tevzadze. According to them, by allowing the book’s presentation to take place inside the university, he had supported the spread of an “anti-Orthodox ideology.”

The next day, on May 4, a counter-protest was organized in defense of freedom of expression. Participants held banners reading “We defend freedom of expression” and “No to fascism.” However, members of the previous day’s protest soon reappeared and outnumbered the freedom-of-expression demonstrators.

Theologian Beka Mindiashvili, who was among the participants holding a banner reading “No to fascism,” was physically assaulted by members of the radical group. Ilia State University professor Simon Janashia was also beaten during the confrontation.

A few days later, a smaller-scale protest took place again in front of Ilia State University. The situation culminated on the night of May 7, during a live broadcast on Kavkasia TV, where a debate about The Secret of Solitude turned violent. Human rights activist Beka Mindiashvili and film critic Teo Khatiashvili walked out of the studio in protest, where they were met outside by members of the Union of Orthodox Christian Parents (UOCP) and the People’s Orthodox Movement, who verbally and then physically assaulted them. Hearing the commotion outside, other participants of the live program also went out and became involved in the brawl. Police detained eight individuals in connection with the incident.