SYDNEY: National television networks Channel 7 and SBS, along with national radio networks, the ABC, Triple J and SBS covered the Sydney Armenian community's protest against Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide at the NSW Turkish Consulate on Sunday.

The Protest of over 500 Armenians, which also drew 100 members of the Sydney Turkish community, was on the eve of Armenian Genocide commemoration week, which commemorates the 95th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which saw 1.5million Christian Armenian civilians living inside Ottoman Turkey murdered in a coordinated attempt to exterminate the Armenian race.

Kevork Tufenkjian of the organising Armenian Youth Federation of Australia said: "Despite over 20 legislatures around the world, including the governments of New South Wales and South Australia, recognising the Armenian Genocide, Turkey has failed to do so, and holds on to 90% of land that is historically Armenia's."

Armenians, joined by Sydney Assyrians and Sydney Greeks, chanted "1915 Never Again", "Turkey Is Guilty, Turkey Must Pay", "We Want Justice", "Turkey Denies, Turkey Lies" and "Genocide Is Fact".

Nearly 100 Police were in attendance to stop the crowd of Turks from clashing with the Armenian protestors.

A speaker at the protest, Haig Kayserian announced: "Dear members of the Sydney Turkish community, we are not here to protest you, we are here to protest against the Consulate you stand before. The government it represents denies the Armenian Genocide. This is unacceptable to us."

There were live radio crosses between organisers and media, while Channel 7 and SBS ran footage and details of the protest in their respective prime time news coverage.

Channel 7 newsreader Mark Ferguson said: "The protestors were demanding that the Australian and Turkish governments officially recognise the Armenian Genocide, when 1.5million people were killed after World War I."

TV NEWS COVERAGE LINKS

Click here for Channel 7 coverage

Click here for SBS Coverage

PICTURES