On July 8, 2017, students and civil activists protested the advancement of the occupation line near the village of Bershueti in the Gori district. Under the slogan “No to Occupation, Russia is an Occupier,” they marched from the central highway to Bershueti, where, a few days earlier, Russian occupation forces had moved the so-called border sign 400 meters further into Georgian-controlled territory. The demonstrators condemned this action and called on the Georgian government and the international community to take a more active stance. Forming a human chain along the occupation line, the young activists chanted: “Russia is an occupier!” and “We will not tolerate occupation!” They unfurled the Georgian national flag and sang the national anthem just a few dozen meters from the occupation zone.

On July 10, another group of students arrived at Bershueti to protest the occupation. They also demanded stronger responses from the Georgian government, international organizations, and the general public against Russia’s continued occupation policy.

The demonstrators requested permission to approach the border marker, but representatives of Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs on site explained that doing so would pose a serious safety risk. Some protesters set up tents and announced they would stay there to show solidarity with local residents affected by the occupation.

On July 14, journalists and citizens also gathered near the occupation line to hold another protest. Standing near the “border” signs installed by Russian forces, they formed a human chain and held banners condemning the “creeping occupation.”

One of the organizers, Lasha Berulava, along with his friends, erected an alternative banner just a few meters from the Russian one. It read: “It is 101 kilometers to the state border of Georgia (Roki Tunnel).”

That same evening, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Ian Kelly visited the area near the dividing line. The continuation of Russia’s creeping occupation, which had also appeared in nearby villages of Kareli municipality—Avnevi, Knolevi, Tamarasheni, and Tseronisi—was condemned in Tbilisi as well. The issue was discussed at the OSCE informal ministerial meeting, which addressed security challenges within the OSCE region.