**Artists at the Front of Protests Against Autocratic Regime**
In Georgia, artists and actors are leading a peaceful protest against an autocratic government. This is not surprising, according to Badri Japaridze, leader of the coalition “Strong Georgia”.
Japaridze said that art cannot exist without freedom. In the 1930s, when the Bolshevik terror was raging in Russia, artists were also targeted by the regime.
**Artists Stand for Freedom**
The actors who are protesting today value freedom above all else. Japaridze believes that this is why they are on the front lines of the peaceful protest. He said that autocratic regimes always attack representatives of the arts first.
**Government Fails to Understand Freedom**
According to Japaridze, the Georgian government has failed to understand that it is dealing with a free society. The entire system is built on obedience to one person, rather than freedom. As a result, the government meets protests with aggression and anger, thinking that it can intimidate people into stopping.
**No Agreement Until Freedom is Recognized**
Japaridze believes that there can be no agreement between the government and the protesters until the government realizes that it cannot continue to govern in this way. The protesters are fighting for freedom, while the government relies on force and obedience.
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