Armenia Supporters Host Another Demonstration In The Valley

BURBANK, CA — Armenian supporters held another action Tuesday evening to bring awareness to the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Demonstrators blocked roadways in various locations, and stopped traffic on the 134 freeway for about an hour near Buena Vista Street.

According to MyBurbankNews, Burbank Fire Department was called in to assist a woman who went in to labor while stuck on the blocked freeway.

Traffic resumed on the freeway around 8:50 p.m., but was later blocked again near Cahuenga Boulevard in Toluca Lake. Other protesters waving Armenian flags blocked an intersection at Laurel Canyon and Ventura Boulevards in Studio City around 9:30 p.m.

Such demonstrations have become routine in a city with the nation's largest population of Armenian immigrants. The dispute revolves around Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region within Azerbaijani territory mostly inhabited by ethnic Armenians.

The longstanding conflict over the region came to a brief pause on Saturday, after both Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Russia. Soon after, however, Armemia accused Azerbaijan of shelling a town in southeastern Armenia, while Azerbaijan claimed Armenian forces did the same in Azeri territory.

In addition to the ongoing pro-Armenian protests in Los Angeles, the Armenian community has been on the street raising millions of dollars to send back to Armenia and Artsakh as humanitarian aid, according to Maria Mehranian, president of the Glendale-based Armenian Fund. The money includes a $1 million donation to the fund by reality television personality Kim Kardashian West.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti stood with Armenia on social media again on Sunday, announcing his support of the ceasefire. Garcetti and other mayors wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and urged the federal government to intervene and stop the violence in Nagorno-Karabakh.

"We, the undersigned bipartisan U.S. Mayors, write to urgently call for U.S. leadership in stopping the current conflict in the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) region," the letter wrote. "As proud representatives of Armenian American communities across our country, we share their deep concerns about the violence being inflicted upon Artsakh, the growing number of civilian casualties, and the involvement of regional actors like Turkey and Iran."

City News Service and Kenan Draughorne contributed to this report.