Armenians Block Entry to Red Army Performance
A group of about 1,000 chanting Armenian demonstrators blocked the entrances to Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium on Thursday evening, delaying a concert by the 175-member Soviet Red Army Chorus and dance ensemble for more than two hours.
“We’re trying to bring to public attention that the Red Army, instead of protecting its citizens, is firing on people,” said Berdj Karapetian, a spokesman for the Armenia National Committee, one of two groups protesting Thursday.
Rather than confront the demonstrators, police began escorting about 900 ticket-holders into the auditorium through a side door shortly after 10 p.m. Several said protesters had pushed and shoved them as they stood in line to buy tickets for the 8 p.m. show.
“I’m really aggravated,” said Pat Radowitz, one ticket-holder. “I believe in freedom of speech, but I also believe in my right to see a concert.”
Police reported shouting matches between demonstrators and people trying to enter the auditorium for the show. No one was injured.
The chorus was scheduled to appear in the United States in 1939 but was delayed for 50 years because of World War II, the Cold War and years of East-West tensions.
Thursday’s performance was the first of four scheduled for Los Angeles through the weekend.
As the ticket-holders entered the side door, police declared an unlawful assembly and moved into the crowd of demonstrators, who dispersed peacefully.
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