U.S. Authorities to Charge Turkish Security Guards Over Brutal Attack on Protesters

U.S. authorities will reportedly prosecute twelve members of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan‘s security detail over a May 2017 attack on protesters in Washington, D.C.

The Turkish bodyguards assaulted the demonstrators shortly after President Erdoğan arrived at his ambassador’s residence in the U.S. capital. Journalists from Voice of America caught the world leader looking on as his security guards assaulted people in the crowd.

The New York Times revealed in a Wednesday report that “law enforcement officials plan to announce charges Thursday,” and cited anonymous officials who knew about the upcoming legal move.

Earlier in the day, Reuters spotlighted that two other individuals — Sinan Narin of Virginia and Eyup Yildirim of New Jersey — have also been charged in the May 2017 incident. The pair “face a variety of assault charges,” and the latter is “awaiting extradition from New Jersey.”

The Times article also noted the charges against the two men, and detailed that “Narin was charged with felony and misdemeanor assault. Mr. Yildirim, who can be seen on video repeatedly kicking a protester, was charged with two felony counts and one misdemeanor assault count.” Two other individuals from Canada also face charges related to the attack on the protesters, according to the newspaper.

[image via screengrab]

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