An Armenian group has stormed an American Turkish diner in Beverly Hills, California, destroying the business’s walls and breaking tables and chairs.
Turkey’s envoy to the US condemned the attack by extremists in California, where a number of Turkish diplomats were assassinated in the 1970s and ’80s by terrorist organisations.
“I strongly condemn the attack on American Turkish business owner by a group of extremist Armenians in Beverly Hills,” Serdar Kilic, Turkey’s ambassador to the US said in a tweet on Thursday.
“I call upon local and federal US authorities to protect rights of Turkish-Americans who are the fundamental elements of the US and punish perpetrators,” he added.
‘Hate crime incident’
Ambassador Kilic stressed that Turkey is in solidarity with the American Turkish community and strongly condemns the “racially motivated hate crime.”
Separately, the Beverly Hills Police Department issued a statement saying that they are investigating the incident of a group of male subjects that entered the restaurant and “made pro-Armenia statements to the employees.”
“The BHPD is investigating this unacceptable act of hate and violence,” said Beverly Hills Mayor Lester Friedman.
“There is no place in our city for this behaviour and we ask members of the public to please come forward with any information on the suspects in this case,” the statement added.
Turkish and Azerbaijani communities were subject to attacks by a group of people who were carrying Armenian flags in demonstrations recently.
A group from the Armenian community wounded at least three people of Turkish origin while demonstrating in France’s Lyon and Marseille.
According to reports, the disputes erupted between Turkish citizens and Armenians supporting Yerevan in its conflict with Azerbaijan which has been going on since September 27.
Source : trtworld.com
