Turkey Sends Diplomatic Note to US Following Assault by Presidential Bodyguards

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In the wake of Presidential bodyguards assaulting protesters in US capital Washington DC, Turkey has sent diplomatic note to the US on the grounds that the police stopping the bodyguards “caused a security weakness”.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded a written explanation from the US.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s bodyguards assaulted protesters who gathered in front of Turkish Embassy in Erdoğan’s visit on May 16-17. Some of the bodyguards tried to take the flags from some protesters’ hands. One bodyguard strangled a woman protester, some other bodyguards battered protesters and kicked the protesters who fell on the ground.

The incident sparked reactions in the US media and politicians.

US Department of State: Violence is unacceptable

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Fox News that Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kılıç was summoned to the US Department of State today (May 22).

"This is simply unacceptable. There is an ongoing investigation. We'll wait and see what the outcome of that investigation is. But we have expressed our dismay at what occurred at the Turkish Embassy", Tillerson said. (AS/TK)