Turkish Americans protest Armenia’s 1915 claims in Washington

Members of the Turkish-American community gathered in front of the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C., on April 24 to protest the portrayal of the 1915 events as genocide by the Armenian diaspora.

Participants traveled from multiple U.S. states to express their opposition to the allegations and commemorate Turkish diplomats killed by the Armenian terrorist group ASALA.

The protest was organized by the Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) and supported by other Turkish-American organizations.

Demonstrators held up photographs of slain Turkish diplomats, observed a moment of silence, and displayed Turkish flags and signs rejecting the genocide claims.

Counter-protest to Armenian genocide commemoration

The gathering coincided with the annual Armenian remembrance march, which took place earlier in the day.

A small group of Armenian demonstrators passed by the Turkish and Azerbaijani embassies, chanting Turkophobic slogans.

Turkish demonstrators responded with chants such as “No to genocide lies,” arguing that the historical narrative of the 1915 events has been distorted by the Armenian diaspora.

They emphasized the need to raise awareness among American citizens about what they describe as inaccuracies in the Armenian narrative.

Broad participation and strong security presence

Dozens of Turkish Americans from states including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Massachusetts joined the protest.

The Washington Police Department implemented strict security measures, and no incidents were reported during the demonstration.

Azerbaijani Americans, Ahıska Turks, and other diaspora communities also took part in the protest, standing in solidarity with the Turkish demonstrators.

TASC president urges continued advocacy

TASC President Seyit Sahin addressed the crowd, stating, “Today is April 24, 2025. We are here in the U.S. capital against the Armenian genocide narrative. We came together from different parts of America to be the voice of the Turkish-American community and to declare historical truths.”

“We will continue to be here every year. We also fully support the normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia,” he addd.

In a statement shared on social media platform X, TASC expressed gratitude to participants, saying, “We would like to thank all our citizens who demonstrated our unity and solidarity once again by attending our program held in Washington DC on April 24th.”

“We remember with mercy, gratitude and respect all our martyred diplomats who lost their lives in the treacherous attacks they were subjected to. It is our common responsibility to protect the legacy they left behind,” statement concluded.