Sarkisian Did Not Address Demonstrators In Los Angeles Organized Protest Rally

More than 12,000 Armenian Americans from throughout California converged on the Beverly Hilton Hotel on October 4 to protest the Turkey-Armenia protocols amid Armenia President Serzh Sarkisian’s meeting with representatives of Armenian American organizations to defend his decision to sign the flawed documents. The protest was organized by the Stop The Protocols Campaign.

As Asbarez.com reports, blockades and guardrails contained protesters who held signs proclaiming,

“Serzh Don’t Betray the Armenian People,” “Turkey Accept the Genocide!” and “No to the Protocols!”

Meanwhile, planes overhead were carrying banners which stated “Stop Turkish-Armenian Protocols,” as large moving vans drove around the hotel with billboards picturing presidents Sarkisian and Gul with the slogan “Don’t Betray us.”

Prior to the beginning of the community meeting, Pres. Sarkisian’s delegation stood out on their 12th floor balcony and watched demonstrators, who called out in hopes that the President would address them directly.

Pres. Sarkisian chose not to address the people. During the fourth hour of the protest, several hundred frustrated demonstrators broke through the barricades and stormed across the street to the hotel entrance, yelling “votch (no), votch (no),” stopping traffic on Wilshire Blvd.

Meanwhile, ARF Western Region Central Committee member Hovan Tashdjian, who had just left the meeting with the President, described a tense Pres. Sarkisian faced with overwhelming opposition by representatives of Diasporan organizations, attempting to defend the formation of a so-called “historical commission” and arguing that the Protocols would not affect the Karabakh peace process.

Stoptheprotocols.com reports that 200 people answered an immediate call to action Sunday morning and rallied at the Montebello Armenian Genocide Memorial in California, forming a human barricade around it to prevent Serzh Sarkisian from using the monument for a publicity stunt while in Los Angeles on his tour of the Diaspora.

The people who turned out came hours ahead of a major demonstration against the Turkey-Armenia protocols set for 3pm at the Beverly Hills Hilton where Sarksian is holding a banquet in his honor.

The president did not visit the memorial and after three hours the crowd rallief and headed toward the Beverly hills hotel where thousands will demonstrate against Sarkisian and the protocols at 3pm today.

Remind that Pres. Sarkisian has embarked on a Diasporan junket to gain support for the beleaguered Turkey-Armenia Protocols, which have met with resounding rebuke by Armenians around the world. He has been met with protests in Paris, New York and Los Angeles, with additional demonstrations planned in Lebanon and Russia.

Source: A1Plus – Original Article

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