VIDEO: Armenian Youth's Seven-Day Hunger Strike in Los Angeles Ends with Large-Scale March and Demonstration

Ten young Armenians attempted to draw the attention of U.S. federal authorities to the war and war crimes incited by the Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem against Artsakh through a seven-day hunger strike. Each day, they submitted letters detailing the atrocities occurring in Artsakh and their demands. Today, they aimed to deliver their message through a recognition march that attracted several thousand participants. The march stretched from the U.S. federal representative's office in Los Angeles to the Azerbaijani consulate.

Aram Manukyan (Secretary of the Armenian Youth Federation) stated, "We already have some success on the ground with Congress; now we just need to work for the presidency... We need to show that stopping the Turkish-Azerbaijani genocidal actions is a matter of life and death for us." During these days, every Armenian has something to do, as American-Armenian youth encourage donations to the ‘Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund, political demands through letters and calls to officials, as well as active online campaigning.

In the last 35 days, Azerbaijan and Turkey have continued their genocidal acts and war crimes, primarily targeting the peaceful population of Artsakh, according to the American-Armenian youth. They announced they will not cease their struggle until the international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh.

Dro Mkrtchyan (Member of the Armenian Youth Federation) expressed, "The only path to ensuring the security of Artsakh is through the recognition of its independence and sovereignty. After 136 hours of hunger strike, we feel stronger and more committed to our people's just struggle. Just as our soldiers fight on the front lines defending our home, we must continue the fight here. We are our only hope. The world does not care about Artsakh, nor about justice or truth. We must fight for Artsakh to be free forever."

The protest of the American-Armenian youth saw the participation of David Ryu, a member of the Los Angeles City Council. He stated, "What is happening in Artsakh today is unacceptable, and the U.S. must do more." David Ryu emphasized, "Our officials in Washington need to do more. This is not just a war; it’s a war with chemical weapons against innocent people. We need to take steps to impose sanctions on Turkey and Azerbaijan. I want to be clear: This is not a land dispute; it’s an attempt to annihilate a people and its culture, to restart genocide, which is unacceptable. Today, I stand with you, by the side of the American-Armenian community, the people of Artsakh and Armenia, for peace and justice. Here in Los Angeles, we are all Armenian."

In the second half of the day, the voice of the American-Armenian community echoed in another part of Los Angeles, in a tourist area. Rallying together, several thousand people gathered in a few hours in front of the ‘Dolby’ Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, demanding that Hollywood stars speak out against the use of chemical weapons in Artsakh.

Pasadena also saw active participation. The Armenian community organized a silent awareness-raising action to draw the attention of non-Armenian residents to the Azerbaijani-Turkish atrocities occurring in Artsakh. Protests and awareness events by the Armenian community in Los Angeles County will continue this week.