Turkey summoned the U.S. ambassador on Monday to protest what it called "aggressive and unprofessional actions" by American security personnel against Turkish bodyguards in Washington during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit last week.

The action appeared to be in retaliation to calls in the U.S. for strong action against the Turkish security officers who were seen hitting and kicking protesters outside the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington during Erdogan's visit. A video shared on social media showed Erdogan watching the melee.

Two Turkish bodyguards were briefly detained after the incident but later set free and returned to Turkey. The United States summoned the Turkish ambassador to raise concerns over the altercation, but President Donald Trump's administration is facing growing calls for a forceful response to the violence by Turkish security officials on American soil.

The incident added to the already strained ties between the U.S. and Turkey — two NATO allies who are at odds over a U.S. policy to back Syrian Kurdish rebels fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. Turkey considers the fighters to be terrorists.

A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said U.S. Ambassador John Bass was given a "written and verbal protest" over the treatment of two security officers that it said were "contrary to diplomatic rules and practices." The statement said the two officers were part of Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's security detail.

The Turkish ministry said it had requested that the U.S. authorities conduct "a full investigation of this diplomatic incident."

Just after news broke that he had been summoned, Ambassador Bass was at the airport in Ankara, where he greeted U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley as she arrived on a previously scheduled trip.

Last week's incident wasn't the first time violence accompanied a visit by a Turkish leader to the U.S. Last year, a similar fight erupted outside a nuclear security summit in Washington, attended by Erdogan. </s> Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's armed bodyguards beat up peaceful protesters outside the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C., apparently at Erdogan's direction. The State Department has since expressed its "concern to the Turkish government in the strongest possible terms" and on Thursday called in Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kiliç to meet with U.S. Under Secretary of State Thomas Shannon about the incident.

Now Turkey is responding — by accusing United States personnel of "aggressive and unprofessional actions" against the bodyguards, The Associated Press reports.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said it gave the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, John Bass, a "written and verbal protest" of actions that are "contrary to diplomatic rules and practices" and demanded a "full investigation of this diplomatic incident." Bass was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2014.

Eleven people were injured in the scuffle, including an American police officer and two Secret Service agents. On the other side, "Washington police said they arrested two people who live in the D.C. area — presumably protesters or pro-Erdogan demonstrators — but Erdogan's traveling security team enjoys diplomatic immunity, which means none will be held accountable for clearly criminal acts," the Los Angeles Times writes. Jeva Lange </s> Turkey summoned the American ambassador on Monday to protest what it called "aggressive and unprofessional actions" by American security personnel against Turkish bodyguards during a violent incident last week in Washington. The U.S. ambassador told Turkey's government its guards violated U.S. laws, a senior U.S. official said.

Turkey's action appeared to represent retaliation for the forceful U.S. criticism of the Turkish guards' behavior in the American capital, where they accompanied President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his visit. The U.S. summoned Turkey's U.S. ambassador last week after the Turkish security officers were seen hitting and kicking protesters outside the Turkish ambassador's residence; one video shared on social media even showed Erdogan watching the melee.

Turkey didn't specify the actions by U.S. security officials it deemed inappropriate. Video from the scene had showed U.S. police struggling to protect protesters, and two Turkish bodyguards were briefly detained after the incident. They were then set free and returned to Turkey.

In the meeting with Turkey's Foreign Ministry in Ankara, U.S. Ambassador John Bass said the security personnel's behavior contradicted U.S. laws and protected speech and assembly rights, according to a senior U.S. State Department official.

Bass and the Turkish officials disagreed about what prompted the outbreak of violence, said the official, who demanded anonymity to discuss private diplomatic conversations. The official said Bass told the Turks the U.S. was looking into what happened and why — an apparent nod to Turkey's demand for "a full investigation of this diplomatic incident."

Pressure has been mounting on the Trump administration not to let the violence on U.S. soil go unpunished. Last week's incident wasn't the first such case during an Erdogan visit. Last year, a similar scuffle erupted outside a nuclear security summit that Erdogan attended in Washington.

A pair of senators who oversee the U.S. foreign aid budget added to the pressure with a letter to Turkey's ambassador warning there could be fiscal repercussions if Ankara fails to punish the bodyguards responsible. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Patrick Leahy D-Vt., said in a letter released Monday that there could be "potential implications for assistance to Turkey" if the unseemly incident isn't taken seriously by Ankara.

And a group of nearly 30 Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York wrote Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Monday demanding that the Turkish guards be "arrested, prosecuted and jailed." The prospect of arrest is unlikely — many of them have already returned to Turkey, immunity for those posted in the U.S. is an issue, and the countries are already in an unrelated spat over extradition.

The Democrats also faulted Tillerson for what they suggested was his failure to speak out loudly against the Turkish actions.

"This kind of behavior by a foreign security detail is reprehensible and cannot be tolerated," they wrote.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert confirmed that Bass had been summoned to discuss the situation with the Turks and called the conduct of the Turkish guards "deeply disturbing."

"The State Department has raised its concerns about those events at the highest levels," Nauert said.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that a formal, written protest was delivered to Bass, describing the treatment of its two security officers as "contrary to diplomatic rules and practices." Although earlier reports suggested the detained officers had been Erdogan's guards, the statement said they were part of Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's security detail. Cavusoglu traveled with Erdogan.

The fracas has added to already strained U.S.-Turkish ties. The NATO allies have publicly clashed over a U.S. decision to arm Syrian Kurdish rebels fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. Turkey considers the fighters to be an extension the Kurdish insurgency in Turkey known as the PKK, and claims without evidence that protesters who showed up during Erdogan's visit to Washington last week were themselves associated with the PKK.

Shortly after news broke that he had been summoned, Bass was at the airport in Ankara to greet U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley as she arrived on a previously scheduled trip. Bass joined the visiting diplomat as her motorcade ferried Haley to an Ankara hotel. It wasn't clear if Haley would broach the subject in any meetings with Turkish officials.

Associated Press writer Richard Lardner in Washington contributed to this report. </s> Turkey summons US envoy over ‘security lapses’ in Erdogan visit

Turkey summoned the US ambassador on Monday to protest “aggressive behaviour” by American security personnel and “security lapses” during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Washington last week.

The key visit was marred by bloody clashes that took place outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence after Erdogan met American counterpart Donald Trump.

US officials and police have blamed Erdogan’s bodyguards for the incident, accusing them of attacking a small group of pro-Kurdish protesters gathered outside the building and the incident ignited a storm of controversy.

Witnesses at the scene last week confirmed this account to AFP, and on Monday the US State Department did not back down in the face of Turkey’s complaint.

“We can confirm the Turkish foreign ministry convoked our ambassador to Turkey to discuss the violent incidents involving protestors and Turkish security personnel on May 16,” spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

“As we noted previously, the conduct of Turkish security personnel last week was deeply disturbing. The State Department has raised its concerns about those events at the highest levels,” she added.

Turkey blamed the violence on supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) who picked on pro-Erdogan US-based Turks.

The Turkish ministry summoned John Bass, American ambassador in Ankara, to deliver a “written and verbal protest” over “the aggressive and unprofessional actions taken.”

The ministry accused US security personnel of acting “contrary to diplomatic rules and practices… towards the close protection team” of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in front of the Turkish embassy chancery in Washington.

“It has been formally requested that the US authorities conduct a full investigation of this diplomatic incident and provide the necessary explanation,” it added.

The ministry said it told Bass there were “lapses of security” during Erdogan’s stay.

It hit out at “the inability of US authorities to take sufficient precautions at every stage of the official programme.”

However, the ministry said it emphasised to Bass that this would not overshadow an otherwise “successful and important visit”.

US Senator John McCain said that the Turkish ambassador should be thrown “the hell out of the United States of America” after the fighting.

“This is Erdogan’s security detail. Somebody told them to go out there and beat up on these peaceful demonstrators,” McCain said Thursday.

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Also, Like us on facebook </s> Republican Senator John McCain told MSNBC that the Turkish Ambassador to the US should be kicked out of the country following the attack by the personal bodyguards of visiting Turkish President Recep Erdogan in Washington against Kurdish protesters in front of the Embassy. Mr. McCain tweeted: “This is the United States of America. We do not do this here. There is no excuse for this kind of thuggish behavior”. During his interview on MSNBC the Senator said that the incident warranted a response by the US diplomacy, saying “We should the Ambassador to the United States the hell out of here”. He added that legal action could be taken to identify the attackers and punish them. According to Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, Turkish Ambassador to the US Serdar Kilic was summoned by the US State Department to explain the attacks. Two people were arrested and 11 were injured in protests outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence amid President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit.

 Video footage of the clash on Tuesday showed men in suits charging past police to kick and punch protesters.

 Police called the violence a “brutal attack on peaceful protesters”.

 But the Turkish Embassy said the demonstrators were aggressively provoking Turkish-Americans who had gathered to greet the president, and they in turn responded in self-defence. </s> U.S.-Turkey Dispute Over Washington Protest Heats Up

A diplomatic dispute deepened when Turkey summoned the American ambassador in Ankara to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday, to protest "the aggressive and unprofessional actions taken" by American security personnel against Turkish security officers.

It stems from a violent confrontation that broke out in front of the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C., on May 17 — the same day Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was visiting President Trump at the White House. Video appears to show Erdogan's security forces pushing past D.C.'s Metropolitan Police officers and violently breaking up a group of protesters, knocking down some and repeatedly kicking them in the head. Around a dozen people were injured.

D.C.'s police chief called it "a brutal attack on peaceful protesters."

But now Turkey is requesting that "US authorities conduct a full investigation of this diplomatic incident and provide the necessary explanation."

The day after the incident, the Turkish Embassy blamed it on demonstrators, calling them, "groups affiliated with the PKK, which the U.S. and Turkey have designated as a terrorist organization." The embassy's statement goes on to say, "The demonstrators began aggressively provoking Turkish-American citizens who had peacefully assembled to greet the President. The Turkish-Americans responded in self-defense."

The U.S. State Department took a different stand. It released a statement the same day, sharply condemning what happened and seemingly laying blame on Turkey: "Violence is never an appropriate response to free speech, and we support the rights of people everywhere to free expression and peaceful protest. We are communicating our concern to the Turkish government in the strongest possible terms."

The demonstration was arranged by pro-Kurdish and Armenian groups protesting a range of Erdogan policies.

Under his rule, Turkey has seen a crackdown on freedom of expression, with dozens of media outlets shuttered and an array of judges, journalists and civil servants jailed following last summer's failed coup attempt.

The New York Times reports that Turkey's summoning of Ambassador John Bass appears to be a tit-for-tat response to the State Department's summoning of the Turkish ambassador to Washington.

The Turkish foreign ministry's statement closes by saying, "the lapses of security experienced during our President's stay in Washington, which were caused by the inability of US authorities to take sufficient precautions at every stage of the official program, will not overshadow what in every other aspect was a very successful and important visit." </s> (ANKARA, Turkey) — Turkey says it has summoned the U.S. ambassador in Ankara to protest what it called "aggressive and unprofessional actions" by U.S. security personnel against Turkish bodyguards in Washington during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit last week.

The move Monday appears to be in retaliation to calls in the United States for strong action against the Turkish security officers who were seen hitting and kicking protesters outside the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington during Erdogan's visit.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the U.S. ambassador was given a "written and verbal protest" against actions that is said were "contrary to diplomatic rules and practices."

It said it had requested that the U.S. authorities conduct "a full investigation of this diplomatic incident." </s> WASHINGTON — Turkish Ambassador to the US Serdar Kılıç was summoned to the State Department on Wednesday following the violent beating of protesters that took place outside of the Turkish embassy in Washington earlier this week, a senior State Department official told CNN.

“The conduct of Turkish security personnel earlier this week is deeply disturbing,” the official said. “The State Department has raised its concerns about these events at the highest levels and a thorough investigation that will allow us to hold the responsible individuals accountable is of the utmost importance to us.”

The official also confirmed that two members of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security detail “were briefly detained during the altercations and subsequently released” and returned to Turkey with Erdogan.

“Customary international law affords heads of state and members of their entourage with inviolability from arrest and detention,” the official said. “The United States recognizes this inviolability, which provides reciprocal protection for the United States abroad.”

Several lawmakers have joined a growing chorus of voices demanding action in the wake of the bloody brawl that sent nine to the hospital on Tuesday — just hours after Erdogan met with President Donald Trump at the White House.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, the Republican chairman of the armed services committee, called for the Turkish ambassador to the US to be thrown out of the country on Thursday.

“We should throw the Turkish ambassador out of the country, we should identify those people that performed these unlawful acts of beating people up and they should be charged,” McCain told reporters.

McCain and his Democratic colleague Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California also wrote a letter to Erdogan condemning the violence.

The State Department told CNN on Thursday that it is “working closely with the local authorities concerning this incident,” but declined further comment as the investigation is ongoing.

The Turkish embassy claimed the groups that assembled were “affiliated with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party)” without permission and “began aggressively provoking Turkish-American citizens who had peacefully assembled to greet the President,” according to a statement released late Wednesday.

“The Turkish-Americans responded in self-defense,” the statement from the Turkish embassy said. “We hope that, in the future, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that similar provocative actions causing harm and violence do not occur.” </s> Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kiliç was called in to the State Department to meet with U.S. Under Secretary of State Thomas Shannon hours after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s guards violently entered a crowd of protesters, U.S. officials said Thursday.

“We can confirm that Ambassador Kilic was summoned to the State Department and met with Under Secretary Shannon on Wednesday,” a State Department official told NBC News.

And new video revealed Thursday shows Erdogan — who hours earlier had met with President Donald Trump — watching the fracas from his car outside the Turkish embassy. Before it begins, a guard bends to speak to the Turkish president. That guard talks to another man who then begins the fight.

Initial video only showed the bodyguards charging the protesters and the bloody aftermath.

The State Department confirmed that two members of the Turkish security team were briefly detained after the brawl, and then released. International law protects heads of state and members of their entourage from arrest.

Nine were hurt and two Kurdish protesters were arrested, police said on Wednesday.

The Turkish government placed the blame at the feet of the protesters, claiming that they were affiliated with “terrorist” groups.

“The violence and injuries were the result of this unpermitted, provocative demonstration,” read a statement from the Turkish embassy on Wednesday. “We hope that, in the future, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that similar provocative actions causing harm and violence do not occur.”

They did not provide any evidence to support their assertion of the protester’s ties.

U.S. government officials have been roundly critical of the guard’s actions. The initial response from the State Department condemned the violence.

“Violence is never an appropriate response to free speech, and we support the rights of people everywhere to free expression and peaceful protest,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Wednesday

Senators Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and John McCain, R-Arizona, sent a sharply worded letter to Erdogan on Thursday that demanded he punish his bodyguards and noted that it reflected his government’s oppressive tactics.

Violent clashes broke out between protesters and supporters of Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington. VOA

“The violent response of your security detail to peaceful protesters is wholly unacceptable and, unfortunately, reflective of your government’s treatment of the press, ethnic minority groups and political opponents,” the letter said.

Earlier in the day, McCain was slightly less diplomatic in an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, saying, “We should throw their ambassador the hell out of the United States of America.”

This is not the first time that Erdogan’s entourage has been embroiled in a physical fight with protesters on U.S. soil. His security detail scuffled with demonstrators as well as members of the press outside the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C. in March 2016.

“The actions of your staff violate the constitutional protections of freedom of the press and freedom of assembly enjoyed by all Americans,” Feinstein and McCain wrote in Thursday’s letter. “Your staff’s blatant violation of these rights on American soil is an affront to those freedoms and reflects poorly on your government.”
Turkey summons United States Ambassador John R. Bass to protest alleged "aggressive and unprofessional actions" by American security personnel against Turkish bodyguards, calling for the United States to conduct a full investigation on the May 17 clashes. The American ambassador told Turkey's government that its guards violated U.S. laws. Last week, the U.S. summoned Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kılıç to discuss about Turkish security officers hitting and kicking peaceful protesters outside the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C.