Day: April 17, 2024
Pasadena Mayor Victor M. Gordo issued a proclamation on Monday recognizing the Armenian Genocide, a historic act of acknowledgment for a city with deep ties to the Armenian American community and its history of perseverance in the face of tragedy, Pasadena Now reports.
“As a community, it is appropriate for us to stand together and join our Armenian brothers and sisters in an effort to memorialize their fallen ancestors and to ensure that this horrible act is not repeated,” Mayor Gordo said during the City Council meeting on April 15. “And whereas, as we remember the past, let us also dedicate ourselves to building a greater future, as a testament to mankind’s indomitable spirit.”
He proclaimed April 24, 2024, as a “Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide” in Pasadena, stating, “Now, Therefore I, Victor M. Gordo, Mayor of the City of Pasadena, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim April 24, 2024 in Pasadena as a Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.”
Pasadena’s Armenian community, which began forming in the early 20th century, has been shaped by the legacy of the Genocide. Pashgian Brothers Rug company was established here in 1889. By 1923, an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 Armenians were living in the city, some of whom were survivors of the atrocities.
The community has since grown and made significant contributions to Pasadena’s cultural and social fabric, with notable figures including a former Mayor, William Paparian, and a former Chief of Police, Bernard Melekian.
The community maintains its cultural and religious practices through institutions such as the Armenian Cilicia Evangelical Church and St. Gregory Church.
The Armenian Genocide Memorial in Pasadena’s Memorial Park, unveiled in 2015 on the centennial of the genocide, serves as a focal point for remembrance and education. Designed by Catherine Menard, the memorial features a stone basin with water dripping every 21 seconds, each drop symbolizing 10,000 lives lost in the genocide.
The Armenian community in Pasadena and the greater Los Angeles area has been actively engaged in preserving its history and culture, advocating for recognition of the Genocide, and contributing to the city’s diversity through various means.
Mayor Gordo’s proclamation follows a broader trend of recognition across the United States, including President Biden’s acknowledgment of the Armenian genocide in 2021.
In Pasadena, the Day of Remembrance serves as a testament to the enduring spirit of the Armenian people and their determination to ensure that this tragic history is never forgotten.
4:56 AM 4/17/2024 – Jared Kushner and Trump campaign 2024 – Tweets https://t.co/hDTWPDt5VM pic.twitter.com/QmTpJlCFKF
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) April 17, 2024
Georgia Leadership Implemented All Recommendations Of Russia’s “Advisors” When Cracking Down On Peaceful Protestors In #Tbilisi
Dear subscribers and guests of the channel! Once again, our information has been confirmed. In less than a day after the arrival of a group of… https://t.co/6S8NlNQvlo pic.twitter.com/vbVVAcg78l
— generalsvr_en (@generalsvr_en) April 17, 2024
Jared Kushner: the man behind the scenes – Google Search https://t.co/Afyf2aS2iO – https://t.co/Qc0KC1GNZs
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) April 17, 2024
Jared Kushner: the man behind the scenes – Google Search https://t.co/Afyf2aS2iO
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) April 17, 2024
Georgians against “foreign agents” law
11 people arrested, dozens injured. On April 16, law enforcement officers used pepper spray to disperse a peaceful demonstration and resorted to physical violence against protesters in Tbilisi. Dozens of demonstrators were beaten. Videos circulated by protesters and journalists depicted the particular brutality of law enforcement towards the demonstrators.
Among the injured are journalists from several media outlets.
The large-scale rally outside the parliament commenced at 7:00 PM. Participants, as is customary, arrived bearing flags of Georgia, the European Union, and Ukraine.
A banner stretching several meters saying “The flow of people will not stop – from the very heart of the country!” Protest against the “foreign agents” law in Tbilisi, April 17, 2024. David Pipia / JAMnews
The rally saw a significant presence of youth, including school students. Familiar patriotic songs, often heard at protests in Georgia, resonated throughout the event. Additionally, the anthems of Georgia and the European Union were played several times.
David Pipia / JAMnews
Celebrities and ordinary citizens took turns at the microphone—students, doctors, and others. The overarching message of all speeches was that through this law, the government is attempting to pull Georgia back into the Russian orbit and deprive the country of its European prospects.
Russian citizens were also present at the rally. One of them held a banner that read, “I want my country to leave Georgia (forever).”
Simultaneously, a plenary session was taking place inside the parliament building to discuss the foreign agents law. Protesters chanted “Slaves!” and “Russians!” during the session.
The discussion of the bill took place in the parliament chamber amidst noise and debates.
According to parliamentary rules, the plenary session can only last until 9:00 PM (with exceptions), so the consideration of the bill was postponed to April 17. It is expected to be passed in the first reading.
This is the second attempt to pass this law. In March of last year, after mass protests and large-scale rallies, the ruling party “Georgian Dream” was forced to withdraw the bill, which had been passed in the first reading. A year later, the bill was reintroduced, sparking significant unrest and controversy in the country once again.
In the center of Tbilisi, near the parliament building, large-scale demonstrations against the “foreign agents” law have continued for a second day.
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets. Virtually the entire political spectrum, including both parliamentary and non-parliamentary opposition, as well as representatives from the civil sector, oppose the adoption of the so-called “Russian” law. Among the protesters are notable figures, writers, artists, cultural figures, scientists, renowned athletes, and even former supporters of the government.
One of the main critics and opponents of the law is the country’s president, Salome Zurabishvili, who described the government’s attempt to “enact this law against the will of the people and despite protests from partners” as a “provocation,” a “Russian strategy of destabilization,” and a “deviation from the European path.”
Late in the evening, after law enforcement officers used force against peaceful protesters, Zurabishvili addressed the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, asking them to discuss the current processes in Georgia at the upcoming European Council meeting scheduled for today, April 17.
All of Georgia’s international partners urge the “Georgian Dream” party not to adopt the controversial bill. Furthermore, European leaders directly state that this law is incompatible with European legislation and that if adopted, Georgia may lose its status as a candidate for EU membership, which the country was granted in December of last year.
“I want to be clear: the draft law ‘On the Transparency of Foreign Influence’ does not correspond to Georgia’s aspirations for the European Union and its trajectory towards membership. It will not bring Georgia closer to the European Union; instead, it will only push it further away,” wrote European Council president Charles Michel on X social media.
Despite unprecedented domestic and international opposition, the Georgian government asserts that it will not back down and will pass the law this time.
In Georgia, it is referred to as the “Russian law” because, according to the unanimous opinion of independent lawyers and experts, the Georgian draft law is analogous to the “Foreign Agents Law” adopted in Russia in 2012.
The Georgian government does not share this view and claims that the draft law has nothing in common with the Russian law and is intended only to limit the influx of shadow money into the country and strengthen its security.