Washington DC’s Metropolitan police chief, Peter Newsham, announced that arrest warrants were being issued for the 12 security guards for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declaring them criminal suspects and accusing them of attacking peaceful protesters during a visit to Washington last month.
Mayor Muriel Bowser called the May 16 melee outside the ambassador’s residence on Sheridan Circle a “vicious attack” and an “affront to our values,” the Washington Post reported.
Newsham said dignitaries and protesters take to District streets nearly every day, but “rarely have I seen in 28 years of policing the type of thing I saw in Sheridan Circle. We all saw the violence that was perpetrated against peaceful protesters, and it’s not something that we’re going to tolerate.”
The demonstrations occurred during Erdogan’s visit to the White House and started on Pennsylvania Avenue, where a minor skirmish forced the Secret Service to separate Erdogan supporters and detractors.
