January 27, 2008
Source: BBC News (London)

An ornamental cross erected last year in Cardiff to commemorate what some say was the genocide of Armenian people during World War I has been damaged.

The Armenian Celtic-style cross was smashed and a hammer was left lying near the damaged memorial ahead of a commemoration service on Sunday. The service took place outside the Temple of Peace to mark Holocaust Day.

South Wales Police are investigating the damage and have appealed for information from the public.

On Sunday, around 30 people gathered for the ceremony, which marked the deaths of 1.5m Armenians between 1915 and 1923.

Two protesters who objected to calling the deaths a genocide disrupted the ceremony for part of the time.

A number of countries have officially recognised an Armenian genocide, including France, Canada, Argentina and Switzerland.