Turkish mass media spread misinformation that the group of Armenian youth attacked Turkish businessmen and beat them, chief editor of the Lebanon-based Azdak newspaper Shahan Kandaharian told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“The information that Armenians attacked Turks and someone was taken to hospital is false. Turks disliked the civil conduct of Armenians handing out booklets and started to harass them. As a result, law enforcers were forced to interfere,” Kandaharian said.

According to Kandaharian, Turkish media exaggerate the incident, stressing the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu was informed of the incident and demanded from the Lebanese authorities to intervene.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, clashes between representatives of the Armenian community and Turkish entrepreneurs broke out during a textile exhibition in Beirut. A group of young Armenians, decedents of the Armenian genocide victims, handed out booklets, describing Turkey-committed crimes in English and Arabic to visitors of the Turkish pavilion.

Turkish businessmen tried to prevent distribution of booklets and clashed with the Armenian youth.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was informed of the brawl and a great number of servicemen and security forces were sent to the site. Many of the Armenian youth managed to leave the exhibition, but some were detained. Turkish entrepreneur Huri Sh. was hospitalized, whereas others returned to Istanbul.