In case you missed it, Turkish President Recep Erdogan ordered his body guards to beat American protestors in the streets of Washington D.C. while he stood by and watched. Nine people were sent to the hospital and many others were severely injured.
??Newly released footage by @VOATurkish, clearly shows (we marked it) that the attack on "American" protestors is ordered by Erdogan himself. pic.twitter.com/Ma546iKQx7
— The Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) May 18, 2017
— Mutlu Civiroglu (@mutludc) May 17, 2017
This is truly unbelievable stuff. Erdogan's thugs beating protesters on American soil. https://t.co/4RnLJUc1Wx
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 17, 2017
#Erdogan'in korumalari kavgaya karisti https://t.co/gsi1iQ68Ye #amerikaninsesi pic.twitter.com/Jv3g5E7AVA
— Amerika'nin Sesi (@VOATurkish) May 17, 2017
The State Department condemned the violent behavior and summoned the Turkish ambassador to do some explaining.
"The actions seen outside the Turkish Embassy yesterday in Washington D.C. stand in contrast to the First Amendment rights and principles were work tirelessly to protect each and every day. The Metropolitan Police Department made two arrests follwing yesterday's incidents and we have every intention to pursue charges against the other individuals involved. We will continue to work with our partners at the United States Department and United States Secret Service to identify and hold all subject accountable for their involvement int he altercation," the statement read.
In response, Turkey demanded an apology from the U.S. for "interfering" and giving body guards undeserved harsh punishments. From theWashington Post:
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry lodged a formal protest Monday with the U.S. ambassador over “aggressive” actions by American security personnel during a visit to Washington last week by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that was marred by a violent clash between Turkish guards and protesters.
The summoning of the ambassador, John Bass, sharply escalated a diplomatic rift between Turkey and the United States following the violence.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry’s statement Monday went even further, criticizing “the inability of U.S. authorities to take sufficient precautions at every stage of the official program.” And it demanded that the United States conduct a “full investigation of this diplomatic incident and provide the necessary explanation.”
The statement also blamed “U.S. security personnel” for “aggressive and unprofessional” actions against the Turkish foreign minister’s protective detail.
The White House has refused to release a statement about the situation.
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