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?

Posted by Myrthe on 13 November 2006 @ 5pm

[...] 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 [...]

Posted by Oneworld Multimedia :: More Swastikas in Yerevan :: November :: 2006 on 13 November 2006 @ 11pm

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.

Posted by Pokrig Ishkhan on 14 November 2006 @ 5am

time for another cleaning session, yup.

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

Posted by thomas.seropian on 14 November 2006 @ 9pm

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

Posted by Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Armenia: More Swastikas on 15 November 2006 @ 3am

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?

Posted by patrickp on 15 November 2006 @ 5am

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?

Posted by Myrthe on 15 November 2006 @ 7am

Ready for another cleanup session on week-end?

Posted by Nessuna on 15 November 2006 @ 2pm

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

Posted by thomas.seropian on 15 November 2006 @ 5pm

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

Posted by Myrthe on 16 November 2006 @ 10am

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?

Posted by Thomas on 16 November 2006 @ 6pm

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

Posted by dad on 16 November 2006 @ 8pm

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

Posted by Nessuna on 17 November 2006 @ 8am

I will be there tomorrow.

Posted by Myrthe on 17 November 2006 @ 8am

[...] 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. [...]

Posted by Oneworld Multimedia :: Anti-Racism Protest, Republic Square, Yerevan :: November :: 2006 on 17 November 2006 @ 7pm

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…

Posted by Jason on 11 March 2007 @ 6pm