Turkish-Americans rally against NYC mayor over 1915, Karabakh posts
The Turkish-American community protested New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in Times Square over his April 24 social media post on the 1915 events and Karabakh. Demonstrators accused him of spreading inaccurate claims and risking division. Türkiye rejects “genocide” labeling and has long proposed a joint historical commission.
Members of the Turkish-American community gathered in Times Square on Sunday to protest New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over a social media post he shared on April 24 regarding the 1915 events during the Ottoman Empire and the conflict in Karabakh. The demonstration, supported by several Turkish associations, featured chants and placards. Digital trucks displaying counter-information also passed through Times Square. Brief tensions arose between some Armenian individuals and Turkish community members during the protest.
Protesters’ demands
In a statement, participants said the mayor’s characterization of recent developments in Karabakh was inaccurate. They noted that as mayor of a diverse city, Mamdani’s remarks risk alienating the communities he is responsible for serving. The statement stressed that the events of 1915–1923 should be evaluated based on historical facts and called for avoiding rhetoric that deepens misunderstandings. In his post on X, Mamdani claimed that “1.5 million Armenians” were killed by the Ottoman Empire and alleged that Azerbaijan and Türkiye attacked Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020, adding that more than 100,000 Armenians were expelled from the region in 2023.
Türkiye’s position
Türkiye objects to the labeling of the 1915 incidents as “genocide,” describing them as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties. Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Türkiye and Armenia, as well as international experts, to study the issue. For the Turkish-American community, Mamdani’s post represents a continuation of one-sided narratives that ignore Turkey’s official stance and historical evidence. The protest also highlighted concerns over the mayor’s characterization of Türkiye’s role in the Karabakh conflict, where Ankara provided diplomatic and military support to Azerbaijan.
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