A very strange tag very near to Republic Square, at the heart of Vernissage, a highly frequented by tourists spot in Yerevan.

Only a few weeks after another one.


Sorry for the bad quality, I’ve shot it with my mobile phone

I’ve been speaking of turkish reactions concerning the french law about Armenian genocide. It’s “even” worse.

I’ll keep you informed about reactions.

No comment.

Posted by Thomas | Nov 13, '06 | Armenia |


16 comments in “Yerevan, Downtown, Republic Square”

  1. Myrthe says:


    Today I noticed another swastika across the street from the Chekhov-school at the lower part of Baghramyan and there is another one with “Sieg Heil” further up Baghramyan. Both times I was passing in a marshrutka, otherwise I would have taken pictures as well to put them up on my blog.

    Time for another cleanup-action?

  2. Oneworld Multimedia :: More Swastikas in Yerevan :: November :: 2006 says:


    [...] Earlier on today I ran into Thomas Seropian from Follow The Way in Komitas and he told me that he had spotted more swastikas daubed onto walls as graffiti in downtown Yerevan. Now he’s posted a photograph of one on his blog. As Thomas points out, it comes soon after some of us cleaned up those that had earlier been allowed to stay for everyone to see at the height of tourist season in Armenia. So bizarre to see these things in Yerevan of all places, and I can’t help but think that those responsible must really be sad individuals indeed. Posted by Onnik @ 1:32 am. Filed under: Armenia, Society, Diaspora, Blogging, Caucasus [...]

  3. Pokrig Ishkhan says:


    I don’t get it…? What Arabs are these fascists talking about? I covered Yerevan pretty well and I met very few Arabs. They were actually extremely friendly and nice people.

  4. thomas.seropian says:


    time for another cleaning session, yup.

    i guess those swastikas won’t dissapear before this week end :(

  5. Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Armenia: More Swastikas says:


    [...] Onnik Krikorian reports more swastika graffiti in Yerevan while Thomas Seropian has photos. Nathan Hamm [...]

  6. patrickp says:


    That doesn’t make a lot of sense. Armenia does not have very many Arabs (nor does it have Turks or other Muslims). I know there are students from India and Africa, and unfortunately there is racism against these people, but how anyone could confuse them for Arabs is beyond my comprehension.
    And the use of the swastika doesn’t make sense either; Armenians were the victims of the first genocide of the 20th century. Hitler modeled the Holocaust against the Jews in part on the Armenian Genocide, so why would the descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors graffiti the symbol of this man in the capital of Armenia?

  7. Myrthe says:


    I know, Patrick. I have actually been pondering the same question: why? Have/Has the person(s) who put the swastikas up actually given any thought as to what he is painting on the walls. Is it really a conviction of him/her/them? Or is it some kid/person who lack any sense or knowledge of history?

  8. Nessuna says:


    Ready for another cleanup session on week-end?

  9. thomas.seropian says:


    yep, let’s meet on saturday

    This arab hatred may be linked with these tortures inflicted to this armenian soldier in Iraq, whose legs have been amputed .

    But the swastika makes non sense.

    Middle eastern countries have always been supported armenia in different ways (Iran, Syria, Lebanon).

    let’s hope it has been some stupid teenagers

  10. Myrthe says:


    If the clean-up is on Saturday, I’ll most likely be able to join.

  11. Thomas says:


    so see you on saturday, 11, in front of the repsquare metro station.

    btw, nessuna, do you have some special “swastikas-cleaning” stuff or anything that can fits?

  12. dad says:


    Quel succes !! je crois qu’il vaut mieux traiter cette maladie à ses débuts. Bon courage

  13. Nessuna says:


    Thom, it largely depends on the structure of the surface its on. We need some white spray “to clean” no arabs sign.

    Btw, apparently there is a protest against the murders in Russia today at 15:00 in front of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    http://forum.armkb.com/showthread.php?t=25681

  14. Myrthe says:


    I will be there tomorrow.

  15. Oneworld Multimedia :: Anti-Racism Protest, Republic Square, Yerevan :: November :: 2006 says:


    [...] From what I gather, another cleanup is planned for tomorrow. For more information on that see the comments section on Thomas Seropian’s blog, Follow The Way. [...]

  16. Jason says:


    Guys have you seen the swastica by Underground station, it is written “Russians out of our country” next to it, it seems that people arent just anti arab…



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