New video hit the internet today showing the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, looking on as armed security guards from his entourage violently attacked protesters demonstrating outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington.
They have diplomatic immunity, and have since left the country.
Watch.
Amerika’nın Sesi Özel: #Erdoğan #Washington'daki olayların bitmesini aracında bekledi https://t.co/96IJVdVOpQ #amerikaninsesi pic.twitter.com/nh7nsyXwzL
— Amerika'nın Sesi (@VOATurkish) May 18, 2017
After this incident, Erdogan met personally with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said nothing about the beatdown of protesters on American soil–and nothing of Erdogan's far more brutal crackdown on citizens back home in Turkey.
We wrote about the confrontation previously here, but this new video is remarkable in that it shows Erdogan looking on, seemingly unaffected, as armed men who answer to him beat people up in our country.
It is unclear if Mr. Erdogan, who is seen in the video sitting in a black Mercedes sedan, communicated with the would-be assailants. An aide can be seen leaning into the car, then speaking to another aide who walks toward the group of supporters and out of the range of the camera.
Seconds later, members of the group run toward and confront the protesters. The second aide then returns to the president’s car as Mr. Erdogan exits and enters the residence.
Nine people were hospitalized after the skirmish, and the State Department issued a stern statement condemning the attack.
The video was one of several new details that emerged about the episode on Thursday, as the State Department and the police here continued to investigate and American lawmakers escalated their criticism of the Turkish guards’ behavior and put pressure on the Trump administration to respond forcefully.
