PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee
Eastern United States
P.O. Box 1066
New York, NY 10040
Contact: Doug Geogerian
Tel: 917 428 1918
Fax: 718 651 3637
E-mail: ancaer@anca.org
Web: anca.org
ARF, ADL COUNTER TURKISH PROTEST IN NYC
Rally preceded by press conference featuring Reps. Weiner, Maloney
NEW YORK – On Saturday, April 22, a group calling itself the `Young
Turks’ gathered 100-150 Turkish demonstrators in midtown Manhattan, in
an effort to spread denial of the Armenian Genocide. The demonstration
took place on Broadway at 39th Street, and was advertised as a
response to the annual Times Square Genocide commemoration that was
scheduled for the following day.
In response to this action, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and
Armenian Democratic Liberal organization organized a counter-protest,
which took place two blocks south of the Turkish rally. The Armenian
gathering included 200 people – young and old alike – with a strong
showing from the Armenian Youth Federation. After a brief program
featuring speeches from community leaders, the protesters held banners
and shouted slogans including `Turkey guilty of genocide,’ `Return our
lands,’ and `Armenians demand reparations.’ Meanwhile, Turkish
demonstrators openly expressed hatred and contempt for the Armenians,
shouting `Armenian lies’ and `Armenians killed Turks,’ in an attempt
to portray Armenians as having massacred Turks during World War
I. Many of these protesters appeared to be Azeris, who linked Turkey’s
denial campaign with Azerbaijan’s goal of retaking Karabagh by force.
The modest turnout by the `Young Turks’ stood in contrast to their
advance publicity, which claimed they would be gathering up to 5,000
demonstrators.
Cong. Weiner, Cong. Maloney Condemn Deniers Just prior to the
protests, US Representatives Anthony Weiner and Carolyn Maloney held a
press conference at which they spoke out against Turkey’s denial of
the Armenian Genocide. The press conference took place at Herald
Square in Manhattan, just south of the protest sites, and featured the
presence of Armenian community leaders as well as media
representatives. In their remarks, both officials referred to the
monstrous irony of Turkish chauvinism – in which the deniers pin blame
on the victims for crimes committed by their own.
The press conference marked Weiner’s second appearance in a month to
combat Turkish revisionism. A few weeks earlier, the congressman drew
attention to Turkish efforts to cast doubt upon a PBS genocide
documentary prepared by US filmmaker Andrew Goldberg. Weiner’s
statements generated momentum that led to the cancellation of a
Turkish-led roundtable that would have immediately followed the
documentary broadcast.
`We are greatly encouraged by the support of Representatives Weiner
and Maloney,’ stated ARF representative Antranig Kasbarian. `They have
never shied away from the issue of denial, even when the deniers are
staring us right in the face. We are also encouraged by the youthful
turnout at today’s counter-protest. Turkish deniers must realize that
this problem will never go away; not until they come to terms with the
Genocide and its consequences.’
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