The Armenian Genocide Committee, a coalition of the largest Armenian political, religious, cultural, social, educational, athletic, and youth organizations, united for the purpose of annually organizing the March for Justice for the Armenian Genocide commemoration, expresses its deepest thanks to all organizations and individuals around the globe who stand in solidarity with the Armenian community to vehemently condemn the hate crimes that occurred at the Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School and AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian High Schools during the early morning hours of January 29, 2019.
Upon learning of the despicable acts which took place, board members of the Armenian Genocide Committee met and spoke with federal, state and local law enforcement and public officials to ensure that a swift and thorough investigation be undertaken to bring to justice those who perpetrated these crimes. Later that evening, the Committee held a press conference at Avedissian Hall on the campus of Ferrahian High School, where Ferrahian High School Principal, Sossi Shanlian, AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian High School Principal, Arpi Avanesian and Armenian Genocide Committee Board Member, Nora Hovsepian, Esq.,
each expressed the Armenian community’s outrage at these heinous acts directed at our children and greater community. In particular, the Armenian Genocide Committee wishes to extend the heartfelt gratitude of its board members to members of Congress Frank Pallone, Linda Sanchez, Brad Sherman, and Adam Schiff, California State Senators Anthony Portantino and Henry Stern, State Assemblymembers Laura Friedman, Jesse Gabriel, and Adrin Nazarian, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, Los Angeles City Councilmembers Bob Blumenfield, Paul Koretz and Paul Krekorian, Los Angeles Police Department commanding officers, the Assyrian American Association of California, the American Hellenic Council, members of the media including KCBS, KNBC, KTLA, KTTV, KABC, KCAL, KNX1070, the Los Angeles Times, the Daily News, numerous Armenian media outlets, and all other local, national and Armenian news sources for attending the press conference, publicly condemning the hate crimes and for the media’s fair and objective coverage of this event.
The Armenian Genocide Committee will remain vigilant and provide whatever assistance it can to law enforcement towards the end of capturing the vandals who perpetrated these acts. The Armenian Genocide Committee is working diligently to organize the 2019 commemoration of the Armenian Genocide which will take place before the Turkish Consulate. The Committee urges everyone to join with the Armenian community on April 24, 2019 in front of the Turkish Consulate at Wilshire and Crescent Heights in Los Angeles to commemorate the 1,500,000 martyrs of the Armenian Genocide, to continue our unwavering commitment for universal recognition of the Armenian Genocide and to demand justice for the human and property losses that were the direct consequence of the genocide which took place between April 24,1915 to 1923.
In solidarity,
Armenian Genocide Committee