Los Angeles authorities are investigating a pair of hate crimes involving Turkish flags that were hung at two Armenian schools in the San Fernando Valley.
The incidents occurred in the early morning hours Tuesday. Surveillance video captured a masked individual, 5’8” to 5’11” in height, securing more than a dozen Turkish flags to the schools’ gates with zip ties. The actions are considered a form of hate because of the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks in 1915. The Turkish government denies the genocide to this day.
“It is the equivalent of putting a Nazi swastika on the side of a Jewish school,” Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz said. “This is a terrible affront. It is the equivalent of a positive statement about the Armenian genocide. Putting out Turkish flags is that kind of statement.”
One of the schools, Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School in Encino, is in Koretz’s district. The other school, AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian, is located in Canoga Park.
In addition to the ongoing investigation, LAPD says it has stepped up patrols near the two campuses.