The Washington, D.C. Metro police department on Thursday issued arrest warrants for 12 members of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security detail who brutally beat peaceful protesters outside of the Turkish embassy’s residence last month.
Speaking at a press conference, Metro police chief Peter Newsham listed by name 12 members of the security detail and four private citizens allegedly involved in the attacks, which occurred on May 16 and left nine protesters injured.
Nine suspects are Turkish security officers. Three others are Turkish national police. Two men are Canadian citizens, and two others are Turkish-American.
“If they attempt to enter the United States, they will be arrested,” Newsham said of the Turkish security detail.
On Wednesday, two Turkish-American supporters of Erdogan were arrested in connection with the beatings. Eyup Yildirim, a 50-year-old construction company owner from New Jersey, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and assault with significant bodily injury. Sinan Narin, who lives in Virginia, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. (RELATED: Meet The Erdogan Goon Who Brutally Kicked A Female Protester)
Both men were captured on video kicking a female protester named Lucy Usoyan. Usoyan told The Daily Caller last month that she suffered a head injury from the attack.
Among the those identified by Newsham on Thursday are Turkish security officers Servet Erkan and Ismail Dalkiran.
Dalkiran is the man who was seen choking a female protester named Ceren Borazan. Borazan positively identified Dalkiran to The Daily Caller last month.
Dear @POTUS I’m being attackd in this photo. I was assaulted by this man, strangled for protesting. Please help me find & prosecute this man pic.twitter.com/8KNfGGWamI
— Ceren Borazan (@CerenBorazan) May 18, 2017
Erkan is one of Erdogan’s closest personal bodyguards. He was seen at Erdogan’s side before and after the melee. He was also seen on video punching at least two protesters. (RELATED: Here’s The Erdogan Bodyguard Who Choked A Female Protester)
Erkan may also have passed along instructions from Erdogan to launch the blitz. Video recorded that day showed Erdogan watching the assault from the back seat of a Mercedes Benz. Just moments before the attack, Erdogan appeared to pass instructions to his immediate bodyguard. (RELATED: Audio Analysis Reveals Orders Were Given To Attack Turkish Embassy Protesters)
An audio analysis of videos recorded during the melee revealed that a man speaking in Turkish can be heard saying “Servet, he says attack” or “Servet, he says dive in.”
In his press conference, Newsham said that there is not enough evidence to bring charges against Erdogan. He also said that “none of the folks from the Turkish embassy were implicated from this event.”
It is unclear what recourse the U.S. government will have against Erdogan’s security detail in the event that they are arrested. They are likely protected by diplomatic immunity from prosecution. But Newsham said that if they enter the U.S., they will at least be apprehended.
DC police prepare to announce charges against Erdogan security for DC protest beatings: pic.twitter.com/xNpuj4zJoI
— Dion Nissenbaum (@DionNissenbaum) June 15, 2017
Presser on arrests made in protest brawl outside Turkish Embassy in May – these photos just revealed of other wanted Turkish security pic.twitter.com/p9zpke374Q
— Anjali Hemphill (@AnjaliHemphill) June 15, 2017
The two Canadian men who were also identified on Thursday are Ahmet Dereci and Mahmut Ellialti. They are also wanted on charges of aggravated assault and assault with intent to commit significant bodily injury.
