Georgia (Country): A Torn Nation; George

What’s the first event that comes to mind, when you think of your families stories?

George Surmava: (My uncle) “He told me, when my father was sent to combat, he told me there was constantly fighting in Tbilisi. He said there was protesting happening in the morning some time by many civilians, women and children included, even dogs were there. He and his friend George, translated to Giorgi, went to join the protest in the front row. They were all blocking the streets. I think it was Freedom Square, where a lot of protests go down. The Russian army came soon after, with riot shields and clubs. He said they charged at him, none of the Georgians moved. Someone fired and it all exploded, everyone broke out in fighting. They were all hitting each other. They threw rocks and my uncle was hitting a Russian on the head, trying to get him off his leg. One of the Russians had a knife, to his friend George, (I met him, he had a scar down his face.) The Russian soldier slashed his face down the middle. My uncle has severe back injury is because of the fighting in the streets this day. Two soldiers grabbed both his arms to sprawl him in a christ position, another soldier from behind, grabbed a gun and repeatedly hit his back, it still hurts him to this day. He didn’t give me too much detail, I felt like he seemed saddened by this, like, why would anyone do this?