On July 1, 2004, citizens gathered in front of Tbilisi City Hall demanding compensation for homes destroyed during the 2002 earthquake. Another group joined the protest, calling on the government to fulfill its promise of providing new housing. The peaceful demonstration was violently dispersed by a special police unit led by Temur Mgebrishvili.

The following day, the Liberty Institute and members of the Kmara movement organized a protest condemning the police action. MP Koba Davitashvili and Kmara later filed a lawsuit over the incident.

President Mikheil Saakashvili responded, stating that “the excessive use of force is absolutely unacceptable.”