Turkish-American Groups Protest in NY Over Mayor’s Remarks on Historical Issues
The protest, organized with the support of several Turkish associations, took place in Times Square, where participants gathered to express opposition to a social media post shared by Mamdani on April 24. Demonstrators carried signs and chanted slogans during the event.
According to reports, brief tensions occurred between some Armenian individuals and members of the Turkish-American community during the gathering. In addition, vehicles displaying digital messages were seen circulating in the area presenting counter-narratives.
In a statement linked to the protest, participants argued that the mayor’s interpretation of recent events in Karabakh was inaccurate. They also stated that, as the leader of a diverse city, such remarks could risk straining relations among different communities.
The statement further emphasized that historical developments from 1915 to 1923 should be assessed through what it described as factual historical analysis, urging caution against rhetoric that could deepen divisions.
In the social media post that triggered the reaction, Mamdani reportedly referenced the commemoration of the 1915 events, stating that “1.5 million Armenians” were killed by the Ottoman Empire and also claiming that Azerbaijan and Türkiye carried out attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020, with large-scale displacement reported in 2023.
Türkiye rejects the characterization of the 1915 events as “genocide,” describing them instead as a wartime tragedy in which both Ottoman Muslims and Armenians suffered significant losses. Turkish officials have also repeatedly suggested the establishment of a joint historical commission involving Turkish and Armenian scholars, along with international experts, to examine the issue, according to reports.
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