By Mary O’KEEFE

Several thousand people showed up in support of Armenia at a demonstration on Sunday. According to reports, the Los Angeles Police Dept. estimated 100,000 people gathered at Pan Pacific Park in LA and marched to the Turkish Consulate on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.

The “Artsakh Under Attack: March for Victory” highlighted the Azerbaijan aggression against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, or Artsakh.

Several speakers, including Congressman Adam Schiff, joined in support of Armenia.

Schiff stated, “In the weeks since the first Azerbaijan bombs fell on the people of Artsakh, hundreds have been killed or injured and thousands have been displaced from their homes, sleeping out in the open for fear of drones or artillery or bombs. Historic churches and cities have been bombarded and destroyed. Militants from Syria have been deployed as a mercenary fighting force by Azerbaijan and its Turkish sponsors. Despite this illegal war, the people of Artsakh are still standing. The people of Armenia are still standing. And we will continue to stand with them.”

The march was organized by the Armenian Youth Federation, which had its members scattered throughout the event. Even with the large crowd members calmly answered questions, kept a watchful eye on activities and respectfully reminded people to wear their face coverings when they saw someone without a mask.

Locally, the Crescenta Valley Town Council has shown its support for the Armenian community.

The Armenian National Committee of the Crescenta Valley recently sent a letter to the Council thanking it for its “ongoing solidarity” for their community.

  Charly Shelton, Mary Okeefe