Residents of Abkhazia demanded a response from the authorities to tourists displaying Georgian symbols.

Tourists displaying Georgian symbols should face harsh measures, including entry bans, local residents stated on Facebook*, commenting on the incident involving a Sochi resident walking in Gagra wearing a Panama hat emblazoned with the Georgian flag.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on June 9, a video circulated on social media in which Sochi resident Ksenia Alypova apologized to residents of Abkhazia for walking in Gagra wearing a Panama hat emblazoned with the Georgian flag.

A tourist from Sochi's actions sparked a stir online

A post about a tourist from Sochi apologizing to residents of Abkhazia for wearing a Panama hat with Georgian symbols was published on June 9 on the "Caucasian Knot" Facebook page*. As of 12:45 p.m. Moscow time on June 10, the post had garnered 86 likes and 270 comments. Some of the authors, who claim to be residents of Abkhazia, demanded a response from the republic's authorities.

"Who needs an apology? She should be banned from entering. We forgive everyone everything, so they do what they want," said Amra Bebia.

"That's right, ban her entry forever! She knew everything and did it deliberately. And she should also be fined for generating hype and getting views this way," wrote Svetlana Borisova.

"People like her should be locked up. At least others won't behave like this," said Tamaz Dzhenia.

"Now they'll have at least a little idea of ​​what Abkhazia really is. If she hadn't apologized, what would have happened?" – user Zaza Morgoshia noted.

"What's there to comment on? Whether she apologized or not, history taught her a lesson," user Veko Veriko noted.

Other commenters believed the tourist from Sochi was deliberately wearing a Panama hat with Georgian symbols.

"Who's paying them for such provocations?" asked Irina. "The Kremlin has created such a rift between peoples that they will see each other as enemies for the next 100 years," wrote Fuad Gumbatov.

Another group of commenters debated the territorial ownership of Abkhazia. "Abkhazians are part of Georgia," wrote Dmitrii Burov. "Abkhazians don't think so," replied user Ainar Lomiya.

Some commenters felt the furor surrounding the tourist's wearing a Panama hat with Georgian symbols was unfounded. "There's no need to react so harshly. It's stupid and unproductive. It's better to channel this energy into restoring good relations with your neighbors," wrote Sergo Surguladze.

"She may not even know where Georgia and Abkhazia are, or what the relationship between them is," suggested Anar Hacıyev.

Incidents involving Georgian symbols occur regularly in Abkhazia.

Incidents involving Georgian symbols occur in Abkhazia from time to time. Specifically, on April 11, 2026, it became known that Sochi resident Nina Bronik and her 18-year-old son had arrived in Abkhazia to visit relatives. Bronik photographed her son, who was standing with a Georgian flag in front of the Sukhum entrance stele. Passersby saw this and reported the incident to security forces. The detainees were given a preventive interview, after which they left Abkhazia accompanied by SGB officers. .

Residents of Abkhazia themselves have publicly apologized for the Georgian symbols on several occasions. Thus, in March 2021, a 19-year-old resident of Abkhazia apologized for posting a video on social media with the phrase: "Abkhazia is Georgia."

The Criminal Code of Abkhazia does not contain an article for non-recognition of Abkhaz independence from Georgia, and therefore a person cannot be held criminally or otherwise liable, explained earlier, a lawyer from Abkhazia Inga Gabalaia, commenting on the girl's actions.

The painful perception of such actions by Abkhaz society is based on the "bankruptcy of Abkhaz statehood" and public awareness of this process, said journalist Anton Krivenyuk.

"This [harassment] looks bizarre, and it's happening because people understand that the state has failed. Independence remains the only, naked value they have, something to which they can cling and say that we haven't lived our lives in vain. Although, in the end, this independence hasn't been realized, the state has been plundered, and all the youth are in a terrible situation," Krivenyuk previously told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

As an example, Krivenyuk cited a case in Gagra, where the father of an Armenian boy apologized to district council members on his knees. "There was a flag-burning incident in the Gali district. A resident of the district, of Georgian ethnicity, was convicted. A video apology is a rather soft step compared to what happened to the Armenian and Georgian youths," the journalist emphasized.

More information on the practice of public apologies can be found in the "Caucasian Knot" report "The Fashion for Apologies: From Chechnya to the Outskirts" and in "Chronicle of Public Apologies in the Caucasus".

* Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.