The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) is deeply disturbed by the hate crime targeting Turkish Restaurant Cafe Istanbul located in Beverly Hills, California late evening on November 4, 2020.
A group of men walked into a restaurant, attacked the business owners and employees, and ransacked the property while making pro Armenia comments. Moments of crime were captured on cameras inside and outside of the business. The police records noted that the suspects physically attacked the employees and left them with minor injuries.
ATAA Western Region Vice President visited the business after the attack and conveyed ATAA’s message of solidarity.
The Turkish American community in California has been experiencing persistent harassment, discrimination, and bullying from Armenian extremist hate groups, specifically in Los Angeles area for years. There are numbers of reports recorded by local police departments for threats made against Turkish Americans.
The Armenian extremism have led to numerous terrorist acts all over the world, over 20 of which in the United States. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, Armenian terrorist groups committed over 230 armed attacks, killing 71 civilians, including 31 Turkish diplomats, and seriously wounding over 520 people in a campaign of blood revenge. The same mentality has justified the modern-day ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the Armenians against Azerbaijanis.
ATAA condemns the racially motivated attack on Turks and Turkish owned businesses in California, commends the Beverly Hills Police Department for investigating the incident as a hate crime, and remains in solidarity with the Turkish American community in Southern California.
Related Information:
City of Beverly Hills Police Department Media Release on Hate Crime
Police investigating hate crime at California restaurant that left employees with minor injuries
Beverly Hills police investigating attack at local restaurant as hate crime
Beverly Hills police investigating hate crime against Turkish restaurant
