(AINA) -- Assyrians held demonstrations across the world on November 8 to call attention to the Baghdad church massacre which occurred on October 31, when the Islamic State of Iraq, an Al-Qaeda affiliated group, stormed Our Lady of Deliverance Syrian Catholic Church and killed 58 parishioners and wounded 75. Protesters demanded an end to the low-grade genocide of Assyrians (also known as Chaldeans and Syriacs) which began on June 26, 2004, when the first church was bombed. Since that time, 66 churches have been bombed, 15 priests and bishops and hundreds of Assyrians have been killed and nearly half have fled to Syria and Jordan.
Rallies were held in Detroit, Phoenix, Chicago, Hartford, Modesto, San Jose, San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Hamilton, Toronto, Sydney, London, Sweden, Holland and Germany.
The names of the victims were read in most of the rallies. The following list contains the names of 43 of the 58 Assyrians who were killed.
- Father Tha'ir Saadallah Abalhad Abdal
- Father Wasim Sabih Joseph al-Qas
- George Ayyub Tubiyya
- Nabil Ilyas Sam'an Saqat
- Saham Adnan Sado
- Thamir Kamil Awsi
- Nida Hamid Estefan
- Umar Thamir Kamil Awsi
- Aziz al-Maysi
- Jonah George al-Sa'ur
- John Jonah George al-Sa'ur
- Rita Matthew George Zura
- Sandro John Jonah al-Sa'ur [child]
- Maha Nasif Banno
- Salam Adib
- Wisam Adib
- Faiz Wadallah Qazzazi
- Uday Zuhayr Mardina Arab
- Adam Uday Zuhayr Arab
- Bahnam Mansur Bulus Mumika
- Ayyub Adnan Ayyub Burjo
- Sabah Matthew Hamami
- Saad Edward al-Sa'ati
- Faris Najib Phillip Hannawi
- Vivian Nasir Maro
- Nathir Abd al-Ahad Anani
- Fadi Bahuda
- Mazin Fathil Salim Ilyas
- Abdullah Haddad
- Wamiq Haddad
- Raghda Wafi Bishara
- Nizar Jamil Matlub
- Milad Nizar Jamil Matlub
- Bassam Adnan Jamil al-Khury
- Adnan Jamil al-Khury
- Bahnam Michael Kafilmawt
- Salah George Abd al-Ahad Qaqo
- Christine Nabil Tubiya Katnawi
- Ra'id Saadallah Abalhad Abdal
- Fadi Samir Habib Amso
- Ethel Najib Abbudi
- Nizar Hazim Abdurrahim al-Sayigh
- Suhayla Rofail Jani
Here are photos from some of the demonstrations. Click on a photo for more pictures.
Chicago
Detroit
Boston
San Jose
Phoenix
Modesto
Los Angeles
Jacksonville
Spring Valley
London, England
Sydney
Melbourne
Baghdad
Tehran
Cairo
Candle light vigil by Copts
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