On May 12, 2018, at around midnight, special forces entered two of Tbilisi’s most popular nightclubs, Bassiani and Gallery. Guests were forced to leave the venues immediately, without even being allowed to retrieve their personal belongings.

A few hours after the operation began, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that eight people had been arrested on drug-related charges. It was later revealed, however, that these arrests had not taken place inside the clubs.

Within minutes of the raids, citizens gathered outside Bassiani and Gallery and soon moved their protest to the Parliament building. Demonstrators demanded the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs. Police detained around 50 people that night.

The protests did not stop there. In the following days, large crowds continued to gather in front of Parliament, which was closed to traffic because of the demonstrations. Music that was meant to be played inside the clubs echoed down Rustaveli Avenue. People danced, smoke flares filled the air, and activists took turns speaking from the stage. The slogan “We dance together, we fight together” became the symbol of the protest. Artists and DJs from around the world expressed solidarity with Bassiani and the Georgian club scene.

The RAVE protest continued on May 14. That evening, hate groups (as described by the media) held a counter-demonstration, demanding that Bassiani change its name and that Gallery relocate. Dimitri Lortkipanidze, leader of the Democratic Movement – United Georgia, said that Bassiani was “a historical name associated with Queen Tamar’s battle” and that using it for a nightclub “defiled history.” Police and riot units formed a line between the two groups to prevent clashes.

Later that night, Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Gakharia arrived on Rustaveli Avenue. He apologized to the protesters and indirectly called for the rally to end peacefully:

“Our common goal tonight is to finish this evening calmly… so that we can all work together to find a solution to the difficult challenges we face. I promise you that we will achieve concrete results in drug policy. Please, let’s follow the police instructions to ensure everyone’s safety.”

After Gakharia’s speech, the organizers decided to disperse. Representatives of the White Noise Movement announced that protests would pause until May 19 and resume if no agreement was reached with the government. Gakharia, in turn, promised to meet with the organizers the next morning to discuss their concerns.

Following police instructions, protesters were placed in yellow buses, taken away from Parliament, and dropped off in different parts of the city. On May 22, Gallery was allowed to reopen, followed by Bassiani the next day.

A new Rave protest was planned for May 27 at Rike Park, but since the clubs had reopened, organizers held it inside Bassiani instead, welcoming all supporters. “Today, dancing is a political act — we dance together, we fight together, we win together,” read the club’s statement. On that night, Bassiani officially reopened and, along with other clubs, resumed normal operation.