Armenian Genocide memorial in France vandalized ahead of anniversary

A memorial in southeast France honoring those killed in what Armenians call a genocide by Ottoman Turks was vandalized just a week before it was to be unveiled, Armenian organizations said.

The memorial in Lyon was scrawled with graffiti reading, "There was no genocide," according to the Committee for the Defense of the Armenian Cause, and the Council of Armenian Organizations in France.

The groups expressed indignation at the incident, which occurred Monday, and demanded tight security for the unveiling of the monument April 24 and for other commemorations that day around France.

April 24 is when Armenian communities around the world mark the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923. Turks claim the number of deaths is inflated and say the victims were killed in civil unrest.