WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Thursday, security guards for Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan harassed and assaulted journalists in front of the Brookings Institution, where the Turkish leader delivered a speech. They also attempted to forcibly remove accredited reporters from the venue.
"We have seen reports of the confrontations between protesters and Turkish security personnel at the Brookings Institution yesterday," Trudeau stated in a briefing. "Violence against peaceful protesters is totally unacceptable."
On Friday, watchdog Reporters Without Borders also condemned the incident.
Brookings Institution Director of Facilities Operations Joe Clapper told Sputnik on Thursday that the attempt by the Turkish security guards to remove credentialed reporters from the event is not in line with the organization’s policy.
On March 16, the State Department said the United States was concerned about investigations and arrests in Turkey related to the country’s political discourse, and urged Ankara to maintain Democratic values.
