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‘1915 Never Again!’ Armenian-Americans and Supporters March at Turkish Consulate

April 26, 2019
David Swindle

Yesterday, on April 24 which is the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, I attended and live-tweeted the March for Justice at the Turkish consulate, an event held annually in Los Angeles.

This coverage of the protest follows two recently published articles on the subject, prompted by the discovery that Turkey distributed denialist propaganda at last year’s Muslim American Society’s West Coast convention on November 22 to 24 at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, California.

In recent years Middle Eastern Islamist alliances have shifted, with Turkey now acting as ally and patron of the international Muslim Brotherhood and the dozens of domestic groups it founded or supported over the last 55 years across North America. As a consequence of this, Turkey’s position of denying the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians and also Assyrian and Greek minorities has been amplified. Denial of the Genocide has prompted hate crimes and obscured modern day anti-Armenian pogroms, many perpetuated by neighboring Azerbaijan. It is important for Counter-Islamists to familiarize themselves with this history and ongoing conflicts around it not only for the basic historicity of it, but also because it reveals the low morality of Erdogan’s Turkey and the Islamist alliance he now effectively leads. If Erdogan and his fellow Islamists will lie about the systematic slaughter of over 1.5 million people, what other falsehoods will they propagandize and who else will they demonize?

The March4Justice website said to meet at the Grove, a large outdoor shopping area with abundant parking, where shuttles would be available.

While waiting for the shuttle to leave another example of the Armenian flags-on-cars trend drove by.

Many cars are decked out in #Armenian flags. One that I saw on the drive in had 6 – 3 on each side. Here’s one with a flag over the hood. pic.twitter.com/kF6kjrWaCX

— David M. Swindle (@DaveSwindle) April 24, 2019

The first of many non-Armenian supporters spotted.

After the shuttle ride and a walk down three blocks, the streets which had been closed for the event appeared.

Now arrived at where streets are blocked off. #ArmenianGenocide pic.twitter.com/IkAGuwRX8M

— David M. Swindle (@DaveSwindle) April 24, 2019

There was a stage set up where the chants would be led, directions given, and finally speeches delivered from local politicians.

The “Our Wounds Are Still Open 1915" logo worn by many attendees would be familiar to those who have driven through Burbank and Glendale where it appears on cars and storefronts.

Plenty of kids and family participated:

It was encouraging to see signs specifically calling out Turkey’s Islamist president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The Armenian youth presence could not be missed as they provided organization, security, leadership, and especially numbers, with different groups wearing different colors of shirts.

The best Superman attended:

Dean Cain’s support for recognition of the Armenian Genocide is well known; he executive produced a documentary on it, Architects of Denial.

Armenian youth on stage led the chants as, starting at 1:22, the march proceeded slowly in a circle around the stage and a large screen with a projection of the stage for those further back in the crowd to see.

There were multiple helicopters also circling overhead.

Some Jewish supporters in attendance:

Roughly an hour after the march began it concluded and transitioned to speakers.

LA Mayor Eric Garcetti at 2:42 said, “Today we are all Armenian-Americans!”

Congressman Brad Sherman followed him with a rousing, passionate speech where he declared numerous times that Turkey would not be a modern state until it recognized the Genocide.

There’s been growing concern among both national security professionals and the general public about the role of Turkey in NATO.

Congressman Adam Schiff followed next, wearing one of the purple t-shirts and giving a similarly energetic speech, concluding with leading the crowd in chants of “Turkey do your hear our voices?!” and “1915 Never Again!”

There did not appear to be any counter-protesters. All that could be seen of Turkey’s response back was this:

Likely knowing all about the Erdogan regime’s history of violence against those engaging in their right to freedom of speech, including here in the United States, there were police present, standing between the consulate and the march.

Dozens more police also stood guard around the perimeter, perhaps especially cognizant of the potential for violence at a gathering of primarily Christians particularly in the aftermath of the Sri Lanka bombings. (Armenia was the first nation to accept Christianity, and beautiful Armenian churches can be seen throughout Southern California.)

On the way home after the events, a final shot of two decked-out Armenian cars:

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