Protests took place outside of the Consulate of Armenia in Glendale, California over events taking place in Armenia. Information that spread over the past few days has especially angered Armenians living in Los Angeles. Photos of soldiers who fell in the war and lit candles were placed in front of the consulate. Protesters were carrying posters saying ‘We will bury those who gave away our land’ and other similar slogans. They were especially angered over the fact that new villages are transferred to Azerbaijan every day.
“What is taking place in Armenia and Artsakh is very concerning. I cannot live in peace. I am originally from Artsakh. I am fighting for Armenia, Artsakh, and the blood of our soldiers. I am fighting against Nikol Pashinyan. They betrayed and killed our children while knowing exactly how this fight would end. When Nikol gave away the lands, I initially fought with everyone. I thought that he had no other choice. But that was the wrong mentality to have because we found out the measures that were taken for him to concede those lands. We need to gather and fight for our people, Armenia, and Artsakh. We not only demand that Nikol be removed from power, but also that he and Anna Hakobyan be arrested and interrogated. We want Nikol to be punished severely,” a woman from Stepanakert who moved to the USA said.
She said that she participated in all protests in support of Nikol Pashinyan over the past 2.5 years, but now she wants him to resign. “Nikol Pashinyan, you are a traitor. Go to Azerbaijan or Turkey. Go live under one roof with them.”
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Another protester said, “Now, the majority of conscious Armenians only want for Nikol and Anna to be arrested and punished severely.”
One man said, “This crisis didn’t begin now, but 2.5 years ago when society was divided into blacks and whites. Our task after this government resigns is to unite. There aren’t that many of us for them to divide us between blacks and whites or regional differences.”
Another man participating in the protests said that the people will be the ones to determine Nikol Pashinyan’s sentence on Republic Square. At that moment, one woman said that the people elected Nikol Pashinyan, and now the people want him to stay. The protesters forced her to leave.
Famous actor Levon Sharafyan said that Nikol Pashinyan’s supporters are not the people, but the crowds. “The people did not bring Nikol Pashinyan- the crowds did. I’ve said before that everyone who speaks Armenian is not an Armenian.”
The protesters were saying that they were wrong to support Nikol Pashinyan. “At the time, the protests began with one demand: ‘Reject Serzh.’ It wasn’t ‘Save us, Nikol,’ it wasn’t ‘Nikol, our savior, our god.’ Nikol stole our demands, desires, and expectations. No matter who tried to get into power, we would’ve voted for them. Nikol took advantage of the situation. He was sent as a spy to destroy our country.”
Actor and host Ara Ghazaryan said that if the two Catholicoi are demanding his resignation, then thousands of believers also must follow their demands.
Reporter Arthur Sahakyan also called upon people to join the demands. “This is an issue of whether our country will exist or not. We don’t have ambitions. We are not protesting for our ambitions.”
Gohar Hakobyan
