Armenian Protesters Host Demonstration Outside CBS Studios

STUDIO CITY, CA — Several pro-Armenia protesters staged a demonstration outside CBS Studios on Monday after expressing displeasure at the outlet's coverage of Sunday's 'March For Peace' rally. Demonstrators used cars to block multiple entrances to the studio lot as they fought to make their voice heard.

After officials forced the protesters to move their cars, several people formed a human blockade across the entrance to continue to disrupt traffic. At one point, an alleged employee shouted "I hope you all die, and I hope your country gets blown up" after being unable to access the parking lot Monday morning.

.@cbsla employee shouting at peaceful #Armenia|n protestors outside CBS studios: “I hope you all die & I hope your country gets blown up”’ @KTLA @foxla @nbcla @abc7la @cnn @bbcnews @guardian_us @latimes @usatoday @nytimes @msnbc @tmz_tv pic.twitter.com/BN89v9MLWF
— ∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎ ∎∎∎∎∎∎ (@517design) October 12, 2020

Elsewhere, another alleged employee told the demonstrators "Good thing you're not 'BLM,' cause I probably would run your ass over," referring to the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests.

“Good thing you’re not #BLM or else I would run your ass over” by @CBSLA employee as the Armenians are peacefully protesting. WAKE UP SOCIETY! pic.twitter.com/pc9vPk3u7f
— Lilit Caradanian (@lilitcaradanian) October 12, 2020

According to Deadline, production on the lot was "slowed" in the morning but everything continued to operate as normal.

Protesters staged the rally at the CBS building after the network interviewed Nasimi Aghayev, Consul General of Azerbaijan, in a story about Sunday's pro-Armenia rally that drew up to 100,000 attendees. In the interview, Aghayev accused Armenia of being the aggressor and claimed the country had attempted to attack Azerbaijan.

“Armenia must end this aggression and occupation against Azerbaijani people. We want peace but for peace, Armenia must withdraw its armed forces from Azerbaijan,” Aghayev told CBS.

In response, protesters lined the studios for most of Monday. Streets were eventually blocked off on Monday night as LAPD attempted to limit crowding in the area.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabkh 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.

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."