On April 14, 1986, Soviet military forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in Tbilisi, Georgia, during a protest against the Soviet governments handling of the Chernobyl disaster. The demonstration, initially peaceful, was met with violent repression from Soviet forces. At least 20 people were killed, and hundreds were injured in the ensuing crackdown. The massacre fueled anti-Soviet sentiment and contributed to growing nationalistic movements in Georgia. The event was largely suppressed in Soviet media, but it became a rallying point for Georgias eventual independence.