Your trusted source

Unknown men with batons attacked on Thursday evening a group of activists protesting the demolition of the building of Camp Armenia, a former Armenian summer camp located in Tuzla district of Istanbul, Ermenihaber.am reported.

An activist, Arev Mirakyan, told Ermenihaber.am that eight unknown men in two cars drove up to Camp Armen. The men armed with batons attacked activists standing at the building of Camp Armen. The police was later notified of the incident, she added.

The activist said the incident will not break their spirit and they will continue their struggle.

Camp Armen is currently an abandoned, dilapidated building in Tuzla district of Istanbul. In 1961, Camp Armen occupying an area of 8,552 sq. meters was purchased by the Fund of the Armenian Protestant Church and turned into a summer camp for children from low-income families and Armenian orphans. Later the camp was illegally seized from the Armenian community by Turkish authorities. On May 6, 2015 the current owner of the building started its demolition, but the work was suspended following mass protests staged by the Armenian community of Turkey. Activists have held a vigil at Camp Armen for 100 days to prevent its demolition.