Berlin, Germany (AINA) -- Nearly 20,000 Assyrians gathered in central Berlin on Sunday to protest against the attempts of the Turkish state to confiscate parts of an ancient Assyrian monastery. Two previous demonstrations for the Saint Gabriel monastery were held in Stockholm and Bern. Assyrians of different church denominations, constituting a sizable diaspora in several European countries, have launched a fierce campaign to stop the attempts to confiscate the monastery's lands. The Saint Gabriel issue has reached several national governments in Europe as well as European Union institutions.

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