Anush Muradyan (member of the organizing group of the picket) - We are obliged to stand by Artsakh, Artsakh was Armenian and we will keep it Armenian together with all Armenians.
Armenian-Americans surrounded the building where the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles is located for the second day under the slogan ‘Blockade in exchange for blockade’. They closed the front door, posted posters on it and all around it with writings about the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh. And there are traces of bloody hands on the glass door, which, according to the organizers, symbolize the working style and cruelty of the Azerbaijani Government towards the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Gurgen Mkrtchyan (member of the organizing group of the picket) - This is the ninth day we have stayed here at night, this is the embassy of the Azerbaijanis, there are consulates of other countries. And we demand them not to leave and speak out about the process weaponizing food, which Aliyev's Government is doing today in Artsakh.
Armenian-American protesters expect that their protest will be heard in other diplomatic representations located in the building of the diplomatic district of Los Angeles. They and their capitals will be urged to adopt a fair position on the subject of the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh during the session of the UN Security Council to be held on Wednesday.
Anush Muradyan (member of the organizing group of the picket) - Food should not be weaponized, and they signed under that principle, so it's time to remind them that you signed, you have to fulfill your responsibilities.
The President of the Los Angeles City Council, Paul Krekorian, joined the Armenian-American protesters. He promised to send a letter to all foreign diplomatic missions in Los Angeles and urge them to take a position in the UN Security Council session in favor of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, in favor of human rights, and to demand sanctions against Azerbaijan, which violates those rights.
Paul Krekorian (Chairman of Los Angeles City Council) - At this very moment in Artsakh, one hundred and twenty thousand people are starving by the dictator, tyrannical leader of Azerbaijan. A dictator who threatened to destroy not only the Armenians of Artsakh, but also the entire Armenian people, a dictator who promised to continue the Armenian genocide. Its continuation is taking place in Artsakh right now.
American Armenian figures note that it is important that not only the Armenian community stand by the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, but also all those who value human rights, democracy, and the prevention of crimes against humanity.
Paul Krekorian - It is not enough to say that we are the friend of the Armenian community. You must act right now, you must turn to the congressmen, the president, turn to those who are available to you in the US federal government, and demand that our country stand up for those principles and save the people of Artsakh from destruction.
While the protesters were setting out their demands, it became known that Congressman Adam Schiff sent a letter to the President of the United States, Biden, and several government officials, demanding an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. The congressman states in the letter. "Initiate a Security Council resolution calling on Azerbaijan to immediately implement the decisions of the International Court of Justice, which will provide for the deployment of a team of UN experts to collect information on the human rights and humanitarian situation in Artsakh and prepare an independent report, as well as punish Azerbaijan for gross violations of the principles of international law for.”
Schiff also demanded to find some way to deliver emergency aid by air or land to the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to prevent starvation cases, and finally, to call Aliyev personally and demand an end to the blockade.
The American-Armenian protesters said that they will keep the Azerbaijani consulate building closed day and night until they receive an answer from the UN Security Council that satisfies their demands and the demands written in Congressman Schiff’s letter.
