The Lebanese LPC TV reports that more than 10,000 Turks organized a rally to mark the anniversary of the “infamous assault against hundreds of Azerbaijani”. According to the LPC, journalist of the French Le Monde Daily Kiyom Perie reports that “this protest is supported and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey.” The demonstrators, including labor confederations and groups of nationalists yesterday organized a protest at the Taksim Square in Istanbul to condemn Armenia and express support to Azerbaijan. According to sources, among the participants was Turkey's Minister of Internal Affairs. Some Western journalists were shocked to see the nationalist moods during the protest. The following is stated on Perie’s Twitter page: “The brutality and nationalism of the slogans are horrible. They are terrible for Turkey.” Perie has cited the distorted version of the slogan used by Hrant Dink’s supporters: “You are all Armenians, you are all bastards“. Ultranationlists handed out toilet papers with Sarkozy’s name on them. Perie writes that “the 600 victims of Khojalu serve as an excuse for hating Armenians. The fire of 1915 still burns.” A similar protest took place in Ankara as well.

---