ARMENIAN PROVOCATION IN SO-CALLED GENOCIDE MONUMENT PROTEST
By Ali Ihsan Aydin, Paris
Zaman Online, Turkey
March 19 2006
Turks, who marched to protest the Lyon Municipal, which has decided
to build a so- called genocide monument in French Lyon city, came
across Armenian’s provocation.
French police released tear gas to stop Armenian teens from provoking
the immigrants. The teens unsuccessful in their attempt, continued
to aggravate the protesters throughout the march.
Small clashes occurred when Turkish protestors responded to the
provocations. The French Police managed to disperse the crowd again
with tear gas. The Turks walking from Bellecours to Terraux Square
put black garland in front of the Lyon Metropolitan Municipality.
Nearly four thousand people participated in the march in Rhones Alpes
region and folklore demonstrations were organized. The Turks carrying
Turk, French, and European Union flags chanted slogans such as: “We
did not kill, we were killed”, “Build peace monuments not hatred!”,
“Leave history to historians.” Some French environment associations
also opposed the monument that has been included in the World Heritage
list of UNESCO. The monument will be constructed in Lyon’s historical
center.