Istanbul’s Sisli District Chapter of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish “Peoples’ Democratic Party” (HDP) issued a statement noting that May 19 is the Pontic Greek Genocide Remembrance Day.

As per the Sozcu daily of Turkey, the HDP Sisli office issued a “filthy” press release on its Twitter account stating that May 19 is the day of the genocide of the Pontic Greeks, during which 353 thousand Greeks were massacred, and 1,250,000 others were displaced.

This statement extremely infuriated the Turks.

May 19 is a national holiday in Turkey; it is the Commemoration of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk—founder of the Turkish republic—, Youth and Sports Day in the country.