Over 60,000 people peacefully rallied in front of the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and protest the Turkish Republic’s continued and multiplied efforts of denial on April 24, 2016, in front of the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles.
H.E. Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Primate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Church of North America, Reverend Mikael Mouradian, Bishop of the Armenian Catholic Eparchy in the United States and Canada, and Rev. Berdj Djambazian opened the program with a prayer, while students from all Armenian schools from Los Angeles performed the Armenian and American National Anthems.
Dozens of federal, state and local officials rallied alongside the Armenian-American community, demanding justice, vowing to never forget and to continue the fight against the denialist agenda of the Turkish government.
Those who addressed the sixty thousand strong audience included representatives Adam Schiff, Loretta Sanchez and Tony Cadenas; California State Treasurer John Chiang, California State Assembly members Scott Wilk, Adrin Nazarian and Los Angeles City Council members Paul Krekorian and Paul Korets.
Speaking on behalf of Armenian Genocide Committee and the Armenian American community at large were; Ms. Tamar Poladian, Mr. Krikor Moloyan and Mr. Daron Der-Khachadourian, while Mr. Joseph Kaskanian spoke on behalf of the Armenian American youth.
The day’s program, which included performances by Tro Krikorian and Ara Dabandjian, Nersik and Arabo Ispiryan, R-Mean, Armenchik and Harut Pamboukjian, was guided along by Mistress of Ceremonies Hoory Minoyan.
The show of unity, passion, and determination by the various Armenian Genocide Committee organizations as well as the audience overwhelmingly drowned out the denialist messages being spewed by few Turkish protesters along with their paid for aerial propaganda campaign. Rather the presence of deniers and their propaganda invigorated the more than sixty thousand strong in attendance.
The presenter and the audience showed solidarity with Artsakh, and reminded the world that Armenians will not stand idle as their brethren face military aggression from Azerbaijan. Artsakh, which endured a massive and savage attack by Azerbaijani forces in the beginning of the month, the likes of which have not been seen since the 1994 cease fire agreement, reminded Armenian American what their ancestors went through in 1915 is still possible in today’s world.
Representatives leading Greek, Assyrian, Yezidi, Jewish, Kurdish, South Asian, Seikh organizations, as well as labor unions and student groups, partnered with the Armenian Genocide Committee, and their presence was felt at the Rally for Justice.
