A one-block stretch Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills was flooded with demonstrators on April 24, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. (photo by Tabor Brewster)

Hundreds of people gathered in Beverly Hills for Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day on April 24. Demonstrators took to the 8500 block of Wilshire Boulevard outside the Consulate General of Turkey, waved Armenian flags, chanted phrases including “Armenians united will never be divided” and condemned the actions of Turkey and Azerbaijan.

The Armenian Genocide is often called the first genocide of the 20th century, and refers to a period of time between 1915-16 where up to 1.2 million Armenians were killed by the ruling party of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish government has since denied that the actions were a genocide, despite international acknowledgement of deliberate ethnic cleansing.

“April 24 is not just a reminder of the 1915 genocide of the past, but instead a reminder to ourselves that we must continue to fight as our people face a modern day genocide only 7,000 miles away,” Armenian Youth Federation member Lana Tolmajaian said. “We are here today to send this very message to the same bloodthirsty regimes that have committed genocide in 1915 and in 2023 … Today, tomorrow and for days to come, the Armenian Youth Federation, along with the greater Armenian community, will not be silent.”

In the past two years, the day of commemoration has taken on a new meaning for many, as Azerbaijan launched a military operation of the predominantly Armenian-populated Artsakh region in 2023.

Haig Minasian, chair of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Shant Student Association, said he grew up attending the yearly Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day event, where he connected with members of his community.

“This is where we find our community and find those people that share how we feel about this issue. We can share in that pain and also see that we’re not alone in that capacity,” Minasian said. “Being Armenian has given me more than I can ask for. It’s given me culture, food, family, friendship, community, purpose, meaning in life.”

He added that it is important for non-Armenians to recognize the ongoing plight of Armenian people.

“Impunity and a lack of justice leads to empowered dictators to continue what they started 100 years ago,” Minasian said. “It’s still real to us. It’s still happening.”

Former President Joe Biden became the first sitting president to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide in 2021. This year, although President Donald Trump acknowledged April 24 as “Armenian Remembrance Day,” he did not include the word “genocide” anywhere in his statement, drawing criticism from Armenian advocacy groups including the Armenian National Committee of America.

The Los Angeles area is home to the world’s largest Armenian community outside of the country, and many local leaders expressed support for Armenians on April 24.

“Today on the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we reflect on our city’s deep-rooted Armenian heritage and stand united in remembrance and resilience,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.

“Today, we pause to remember the Armenian Genocide and stand in solidarity with the Armenian community,” Beverly Hills Mayor Sharona Nazarian said. “Through remembrance, we honor the past and continue to stand for unity and respect among all people.”

“We’re gathered here to remember and say quite simply – the Armenian people must have a voice in their future, and we must be brave enough to amplify their voices,” U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) said at a commemoration in Burbank. “We have to remember all that has happened and all that will happen if we refuse to act. The cost of forgetting is far too great.”