The Washington D.C. Police Department issued arrest warrants Thursday for a dozen Turkish nationals belonging to President Recep Erdogan's security team. The warrants are in response to the individuals beating protestors, American citizens, in the streets outside of the country's embassy in the Nation's Capitol. They sent multiple people to the hospital.
The full list of names of suspects sought in assaults outside the Turkish Embassy on May 16thhttps://t.co/tjoGZRb5PT pic.twitter.com/HwAiE10cKd
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) June 15, 2017
As a reminder, Erdogan stepped out of his car to tell body guards to attack protestors.
??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
At the time, the State Department issued a statement condemning the violence.
"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 following 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.
The Turkish government has responded to the potential prosecution of the body guards as "unfair" and has blamed protestors for causing trouble.
