LA Mayor condemns attack of Armenians on Azerbaijani community members

By Trend

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti condemned the attack of Armenian radicals on members of the Azerbaijani community during the peaceful rally held on July 21 before the building of Azerbaijan’s Consulate General in the city, Trend reports referring to the consulate.

In his letter sent to Consul General of Azerbaijan Nasimi Aghayev, Garcetti strongly condemned the act of aggression against Azerbaijanis and stressed that this fact is investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.

The mayor noted that freedom of assembly and freedom of speech are fundamental to American values, adding that efforts to ensure the safety of the Azerbaijani community in Los Angeles will be continued.

The clashes between Azerbaijanis and Armenians in Los Angeles were triggered by gross ceasefire violations by Armenian armed forces on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border in the direction of Tovuz district of Azerbaijan. The fighting continued in the following several days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces.

Meanwhile a group of Armenians living in Los Angeles, California, attacked and injured a group of Azerbaijanis who gathered to peacefully protest the Armenian aggression.

The incident took place July 21 in front of Azerbaijan's Consulate in the city where Armenians verbally and physically assaulted Azerbaijanis across the street, despite tight security measures by the L.A. Police Department.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.