St. Peter’s Armenian Church Van Nuys Attacked with Vandalism in Possible Hate Crime

by Matthew Yaldezian

Damage at St. Peter’s Church in Van Nuys, California

St. Peter’s Armenian Church of Van Nuys, California, United States was subject to a hate crime in the early hours of Thursday, September 23. Eight sixty year old stained glass windows facing Sherman Way were destroyed; no injuries or other significant damage was reported. 

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating security camera footage of the incident but early reports indicate a “masked individual, wearing all black” was the perpetrator. Founded in 1959, St. Peter’s Armenian Church has been a generational staple for Armenians in the area as well as other members of the Los Angeles Christian community, hosting countless weddings and baptisms over the years.

Rev. Fr. Shnork Demirjian, the Parish Priest since 1991, spoke to KTLA on Thursday, expressing his concern over the incident which is suspected to be hate and politically motivated. The incident occurred two days after Armenian Independence Day and roughly one year after an Armenian Church in San Francisco was vandalized in similar fashion, before being firebombed. Community members have been on high alert after a string of attacks on centers of Armenian-American life this year.

Coverage on KTLA:

Coverage on CBSLA:

Matt Yaldezian is an Armenian-American working writer living in Los Angeles, California.