Turkey's Erdoan Lambastes U.S. For Charges Against His Guards After D.C. Protest Clashes

Turkey  summoned the American ambassador Thursday after Washington, D.C., prosecutors issued arrest warrants  for members of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan’s  security detail over clashes with protesters in the U.S. last month.

Erdoan vowed on Thursday to “fight politically and judicially ” against the warrants issued to 12 Turkish security and police officers on suspicion of assaulting protesters  during the Turkish president’s state visit to Washington, D.C., on May 16.

Turkish Foreign Ministry officials told John Bass, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, that the American authorities’ action was “unacceptable,” the Guardian reports. “This decision taken by U.S. authorities is wrong, biased and lacks legal basis,” the ministry said in a statement . 

But in a message  from Rex Tillerson  that his spokeswoman read to reporters, the secretary of state said the charges “send a clear message that the United States does not tolerate individuals who use intimidation and violence to stifle freedom of speech and legitimate political expression.”

In all, 18 people have been charged or will face charges over the clashes that injured  at least nine protesters. Prosecutors have also issued arrest warrants  to two Canadians and four Americans.

Video footage from the incident appears to show a group of men in suits — some wearing passes identifying them as members of Erdoan’s security entourage — punching and kicking protesters as the president watches  from a car near the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C.

A Voice of America Turkish video  that the U.S. government-funded news service filmed moments earlier shows an aide leaning into Erdoan’s car window to talk to him. He relays a message to another aide, who appears to give an order before several men rush toward the protesters. 

And audiovisual analysis  that the Daily Caller conducted of VOA Turkish footage  indicates that orders to attack were issued to Erdoan’s security detail. Three Turkish language experts who work at American universities told U.S. News & World Report they agreed with the Daily Caller report that words faintly heard in the video indicate Erdoan’s personnel said “gel gel gel,” meaning “come, come, come,” and “daln diyor daln diyor daln diyor,” which they translated as “he says attack.” 

All of the Turkish personnel named in the warrants are back in their country. 

Erdoan said his guards were only protecting him.