VOA / Via Twitter: @VOATurkish
Violence broke out Tuesday during a protest in front of the Turkish embassy in Washington, DC's Embassy Row, leaving at least nine people injured in what quickly turned into an all-out brawl.
The violence erupted after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with President Trump at the White House. Pro and anti-Erdogan protesters were gathered outside the Turkish embassy when men in black suits began attacking demonstrators. Some of the people involved in the fight included Erdogan's guards, Voice of America reported.
Metropolitan Police Department Officer Hugh Barew told BuzzFeed News 10 people were arrested after the incident, but could not confirm if any of those detained were Turkish officials.
Video showed multiple people trading punches in front of the Turkish embassy, including several men who were dressed in black suits. Some of the men were seen kicking people as they lay on the ground.
DC police could be seen trying to separate people during the fights.
Barew told BuzzFeed News the names, ages, and charges of the people arrested after the attack were not immediately available.
"It's still under investigation," he said.
DC Fire and EMS officials said nine people were taken to local hospitals with various injuries, including one person in serious condition.
The Washington Post reported Erdogan was not at the embassy when the fight broke out. The Turkish president is staying at Blair House across the White House during his visit, the paper reported.
The US State Department, Turkish embassy, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser's office, and multiple DC councilmembers did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News requests for comment.
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/2qq3D6H
No comments:
Post a Comment