Armenian Genocide memorial in Lyon and the adjacent community center

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry condemns attacks

After anti-Armenian incidents in Lyon, France stretching over the end of last week, compounded by killing of innocent civilians in Nice, France’s Interior Minister announced Monday that his country is taking steps to ban the Turkey’s ultra-right wing Grey Wolves organization, which has ties to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Turkey.

Last Wednesday, pro-Artsakh protesters were stabbed by pro-Turkey assailants. Over the weekend, the Armenian Genocide memorial in Lyon, as well as Armenia’s Consulate General building in that city were vandalized with anti-Armenian graffiti that included slogans such as “Grey Wolves” and “RTE,” in reference to Erdogan.

France moved to outlaw the Wolves organization, with French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announcing the proposal that is scheduled to be discussed on Wednesday.

“We strongly condemn the act of vandalism against the building of the Consulate General of Armenia in the city of Lyon, which was preceded by tincidents of desecration of the Armenian monuments in other cities of France and the massive anti-Armenian actions by the Turkish extremist organizations in recent months on the grounds of hatred,” said a statement on Monday by Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.

“The note on the building of the Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia is especially stark, as it contains a threat of recurrence of the Armenian Genocide and the glorification of the current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,” added the ministry.

“It is not accidental that such threats are being voiced against the people of Armenia when the Turkish-Azerbaijani genocidal alliance, with the involvement of the international terrorist fighters, is attempting to annihilate the Armenians in Artsakh,” said the foreign ministry. “We are convinced that the French authorities will hold the perpetrators of this vandalism and the extremist forces behind them accountable.”