By Mia Lamar

The city of Somerville suspended its relationship with the Anti-Defamation League’s ‚ÄúNo Place for Hate‚Äù anti-prejudice program last Thursday, in protest of the ADL’s failure to ‚Äúunequivocally‚Äù recognize the Armenian genocide, according to a city spokeswoman, Lesley Delaney Hawkins. Hawkins added that the city specifically chose to make its announcement on the annual day of remembrance for the genocide, April 24, a message Hawkins called ‚Äúsignificant.‚Äù

‚ÄúWe want to send a clear message that bigotry, whether its on a local level or a genocide level, is not appropriate,‚Äù said Hawkins. She said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, a member of the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) who is also president of the Massachusetts Mayors’ Association, received an ‚Äúimmense‚Äù amount of correspondence from individuals, of both Armenian and non-Armenian descent, expressing their concern over the controversial position of the ADL. The Massachusetts Municipal Association withdrew its co-sponsorship of the "No Place for Hate" program earlier this month, moving Mayor Curtatone to follow suit with Somerville.

Hawkins stressed that the city’s decision ‚Äúwas not a question‚Äù of the overall efforts of the ADL. ‚ÄúWe certainly do respect and appreciate their [anti-] bigotry efforts,‚Äù she said.

According to Hawkins, the city has not received any communication from the ADL concerning its announcement Thursday, and is currently looking into whether it must take further steps to formally cease its relationship with the “No Place for Hate” program. She also said she expects the city to pass a resolution in coming weeks to join the National League of Cities Partnership for Working Towards Inclusive Communities.

A regional spokeswoman for the ADL, Jennifer Smith, did not return calls for comment.

Somerville joins a growing list of Massachusetts communities taking a stance against the ADL and its position towards the Armenian genocide, including nearby Belmont, Watertown, Lexington and Newton.