Protesters waving Turkish flags demonstrated outside a theater in the German town of Konstanz, demanding the cancellation of a play based on Edgar Hilsenrath’s novel The Story of the Last Thought about the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

The demonstrators argued that no such event actually took place.

In addition, the Turkish Consulate in Karlsruhe demanding that flyers be handed out to theater goers stating that there are different interpretations of what happened during that time.

Samvel Lulukyan, a board member of the Central Council of German-Armenians, reports that on the play’s premier some 100 demonstartors assembled in front of the theater.

The focus of their ire was a large advertising banner for the play showing an unidentified man covered in a white sheet displaying the Turkish flag above. The text read – “There is no genocide in our history”; the words of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan.

According to stage director Thomas Spiekerman, it’s the first time a play has been premiered under police protection.

“It’s a strange feeling,” said Spiekerman. “There is no guessing as to what will happen.”

Lulukyan says the play was performed but the banner was removed.

Theater director Kristof Niks explains the banner was removed out of respect to the sizeable Turkish community.