Washington, DC – Yesterday, Supreme President George G. Horiates flanked by members of the Order of AHEPA attended and participated at a protest in Lafayette Park, directly across the street from the White House in Washington, DC. The Armenian National Committee of America worked with AHEPA to assure that our communities would be present to make our collective voices heard on the visit of Recep Erdogan, President of Turkey.

In recent months Turkey has increased its violence and rhetoric to absurd levels, and AHEPA is seeking assistance from the US Congress to impose stronger sanctions on Turkey. Human Rights, Religious Freedom, and egregious air and territorial violations daily, not to mention the illegal drilling of Cyprus.

“Enough is enough. Turkey is not a friend or an ally to the United States.
Get our nukes out of Turkey! Free Cyprus! Free Greece! Free Pontos! Free Armenia! Free the Kurds!” These were the chants we listened to by the assembled protesters as President Erdogan met with the President of the United States.

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets, and in an organized expression of our First Right Amendments, the protesters spoke. The event was so loud that the official motorcade was changed so that Erdogan would not see the protesters and so they arrived using the back entrance of the White House.

The event was a culmination of weeks of promoting and rallying the support of the House and Senate legislation that would have stronger sanctions against Turkey.

Supreme President Horiates will be in DC next week with meetings on the Hill to push for a just and fair resolution to the current violations in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“Join AHEPA now. You are needed more than ever,” said AHEPA President George Horiatis. “Contact your local chapter or log onto Ahepa.org/join. The future of Hellenism depends on all of us,“ added Horiatis.