“It is cold—so what?! It will rain—so what?! It will get chilly—so what?! Yes, we may inconvenience each other; Tbilisi’s streets will be blocked—that is clear, but no disruption could be worse than the complete paralysis that Ivanishvili’s regime imposes on our citizens,” declared Nika Melia, the Coalition for Change leader, while speaking near Tbilisi State University, where protesters camped overnight in tents.

Melia urged citizens to join the demonstration on Chavchavadze Avenue.

“Strength lies in diversity, as we have demonstrated today. It lies in the unity of different people, in the anger that has driven us, and in the reason we have created from that anger. Strength comes from our collective decision to unite around a common goal—the future of Georgia, which we, the citizens, must shape together. We believe today’s extraordinary gathering will be a historic moment, igniting an unstoppable and powerful protest movement that will ultimately lead to the downfall of Ivanishvili’s regime.

We must shake it until it falls, and the streets of Tbilisi are among the most democratic tools at our disposal. This process will not stop now; it will end in victory because we feel responsible for our past, present, and future. It’s cold—so what?! It will rain—so what?! Yes, we may cause temporary disruptions, but these pale in comparison to the complete blockage imposed by Ivanishvili’s regime on our society. It is far better to act now and endure some disruptions than to allow the state to stagnate for decades.

Friends, I invite all of you to gather here, at one of Tbilisi’s most significant locations, from which this protest will spread across the city. This is inevitable. The time for mere words is over; now is the time for action. Today marks the beginning of our endeavour, not the end,” stated Nika Melia.