The U.S. House of Representatives will vote next week on a resolution that condemns the actions of Turkish security forces, who joined in a violent attack on demonstrators in Washington, D.C. in mid-May, recommending that any Turkish official involved in that incident "should be charged and prosecuted under United States law."
The resolution, which was posted online Friday, minces no words, as it says, "the Turkish security forces acted in an unprofessional and brutal manner, reflecting poorly on President Erdogan and the Government of Turkey."
Video of the incident taken by a Voice of America reporter clearly shows pro-government security officers charge across a street to go after a small group of demonstrators, who were then beaten, kicked and choked in the melee.
The House resolution notes that this was the third example of violence involving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's security in the United States in recent years - the first in 2011 was in the halls of the United Nations; in 2016, his security detail went after protesters and reporters outside a speech he was giving at the Brookings Institute in Washington.
"Erdogan’s security detail behaved unacceptably," Brookings wrote after the event, saying the security officials, "roughed up protesters outside the building and tried to drag away “undesired” journalists."
In the latest incident on May 16, the House resolution charges that "Turkish security forces acted in an unprofessional and brutal manner."
Credit: Jamie Dupree
Credit: Jamie Dupree
The violence began outside of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence in Washington, when a small group of demonstrators arrived to protest the Erdogan government.
Video shows President Erdogan watching the scene from his vehicle; it was not clear if he had ordered his security officers into action.
A full analysis of the video, and the actions of the officers was recently done by the New York Times.
A vote on the resolution is expected next week in the House.
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