U.S. lawmakers call to condemn Turkey after Washington street brawl

Record ID: 875838

  • Title: U.S. lawmakers call to condemn Turkey after Washington street brawl
  • Date: 25th May 2017
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MAY 25, 2017) (UNRESTRICTED POOL) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN DAVID CICILLINE OF RHODE ISLAND SAYING: "Our State Department and Secretary Tillerson have rightfully condemned this egregious action by Turkish security forces and have called the Turkish ambassador in to raise their concerns. These are good first steps, but by no means do they resolve this issue. There are a few steps that absolutely must be taken as follow-up to this horrific incident. The United States government should request a waiver of immunity for anyone involved in the violent attack against peaceful protesters. The U.S. government must make clear that we expect full cooperation by the Turkish government into the investigation of this crime. The U.S. government has made clear to Turkey and any other government who wishes to have a presence in the United States that our our laws including the freedom of speech and assembly are the binding laws of the land when they are on U.S. soil." CHAIRMAN YIELDING FLOOR TO CONGRESSMAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN BRAD SHERMAN OF CALIFORNIA SAYING: "This was not just an attack on American values, on international values of human rights, this was an attack on American sovereignty. Quasi military forces of a foreign nation beat and attacked Americans on American soil. This was deliberate because Erdogan believes that this helps him politically back in Turkey. We have to demonstrate to the world that aggression on American soil is not going to pay off."
  • Embargoed: 8th June 2017 19:31
  • Keywords: senior lawmakers lawmakers protest D.C. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan Turkish embassy in Washington
  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
  • City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0026IC9IYV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: **EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT**
    U.S. lawmakers want the House of Representatives to formally condemn Turkish security forces' violent response to a street protest in Washington during a recent visit by President Tayyip Erdogan.
    The House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing with alleged victims of the May 16 brawl between Erdogan's security forces and protesters outside the Turkish embassy.
    Witnesses said they were injured after Erdogan's bodyguards lunged past Washington, DC police and kicked and beat them to the ground.
    Democratic Congressman Brad Sherman called the incident an "attack on American sovereignty."
    At least 11 people were injured in the encounter, two so seriously they had to go to the hospital.
    Turkey blamed the violence on demonstrators linked to the militant Kurdistan Workers Party while Washington's police chief described the incident as a "brutal attack" on peaceful protesters.
    The U.S. State Department said in a statement the conduct of Turkish security personnel during the incident was "deeply disturbing."
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