Four Arrested Following Attacks on Armenian Protesters by Gray Wolves in France: New Details

French media outlet Le Parisien reported on August 25 about the clashes between Armenian protesters and Turkish Gray Wolves in the French town of Décines and its aftermath. It is noteworthy that during the peaceful rally on July 24, armed youth carrying the Turkish flag attacked Armenian protesters, causing material damage.

The attackers identified themselves as members of the Turkish "Gray Wolves" organization. Four individuals have been arrested, and criminal cases have been initiated against them. Their organizer, Ahmed Çetin, is set to appear in court on September 17. This is one of the two complaints filed by the Committee for the Defense of the Armenian Cause (CDCA) regarding the incident that took place on July 24. The second complaint targets the armed gathering's activities.

The complete report by Le Parisien is provided with an Armenian translation attached. This headache for the Turkish extremists stems from the condemnation of a Turkish individual for "inciting hate." The Armenian community has filed two complaints concerning the violence during the demonstration in July. Approximately 100 young people of Turkish descent attacked Armenian-French individuals who organized a protest against the renewed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The remnants of a broken illuminated sign serve as a reminder; the black mark on the display board is believed to be the result of gunfire, according to Arman, who has been working in Décines (Rhône) for three years. A month has passed, yet this Armenian man still does not understand why several dozen Turkish youths from the extremist Gray Wolves organization targeted him on July 24. "My shoeshine booth has always been open to everyone; I have had no issues with anyone," he says.

Regardless, around 7:00 PM on July 24, it was clear to him that masked, armed youths wielding iron rods and knives walking along Jean-Jaurès Boulevard were there to settle scores. "We went out in four or five; we couldn't handle it. We had to take cover in a shop and wait for police intervention," Arman recalls.

The initial aim of the local Armenian community was to hold a peaceful summer evening rally. After the genocide in 1915, the first stateless Armenians settled in Décines, a small Armenia, from the precious land of Aznavour in the 1920s. Today, about 4,000 Armenian-French people live in this city of 30,000, closely following the geopolitical upheavals affecting their ancestors' homeland. On July 24, 600 people gathered to protest against the resumption of the long-standing Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Young individuals, infused with hatred and trapped in a historically enormous denial, disrupted the event. "It was a beautiful gathering attended by families. Local elected officials were also present," recounts Dani-Claude Zartarian, a co-organizer of the Armenian community's rally. However, the atmosphere soured from the very beginning. The culprits were the hundred Turkish extremists who arrived to disrupt their sworn enemies' event. "I don't even know why they were there," emphasizes Arman. Even if they consider themselves closely allied with Azerbaijan, it's not their fight to interfere with.

Witnesses and videos describe the attackers, some with masks and holding Turkish flags, shouting insults and calls to "come, let's catch the Armenians." A month has passed since the altercation, and soon the leader of this counter-demonstration will be condemned. Yet, emotions remain high. "Such a thing had never happened before," recalls one protester who wished to remain anonymous. "For the first time, I felt scared..." When the first speaker, Sara Tanzilian, began to speak, gunfire erupted. Following that, the crowd began to disperse. "At first, I didn't understand what was happening," recalls the speaker. Her husband, Raffi, is a local representative of the Committee for the Defense of the Armenian Cause (CDCA) and one of the protest's organizers. "We were aware from social media that some Turks identifying as Gray Wolves were planning a counter-protest," he clarifies.

As a result of the gathering, four individuals were arrested. One of them is a minor, who was taken to a detention center. As previously reported by the newspaper le Progrès, many rushed to the police department to seek assistance. "We are concerned," says Dani-Claude Zartarian. "We are dealing with young people driven by hate and trapped in a historically enormous denial." These youths "came not to express opinions, but to cause violence," declares Jules Boyajian, president of the Committee for the Defense of the Armenian Cause. And Dani-Claude Zartarian questions, "How long will France be safe for us?"