US authorities have indicted the Turkish security personnel, as well as two US citizens and two Canadian citizens, for assault with a dangerous weapon, hate crimes, assault with significant bodily harm and assaulting a police officer, among other charges, according to court filings. The indictment goes on to specify in detail the violence inflicted upon protesters, including Lacey McCauley.
Sixteen of the defendants were charged June 13. Today's indictment added three new defendants — all Turkish security officials — to the list.
Court documents determined the violent altercation was sparked by pro-Turkish figures lashing out at Kurdish protesters.
— Mutlu Civiroglu (@mutludc) May 16, 2017
The indictment goes on to say pro-Turkish security personnel and supporters of Erdogan "vocally and physically opposed the presence of the anti-Erdogan protesters, yelling threats at and attacking the anti-Erdogan protesters."
"The members and associates of the conspiracy used threats and physical violence — intensely kicking at protesters — to dispel and attack the anti-Erdogan protesters, and blatantly ignore American law enforcement commands to cease the violence."
Two people were hospitalized with serious injuries, while eight others were taken to the hospital for minor wounds when the incident first broke out in early May, WUSA 9 first reported. The clashes took place in front of the Turkish Embassy, roughly a mile and a half from the White House.
Court documents also revealed Eyup Yildirim, one of the charged men, shouted "shut the f**k up, b**ch" at one of the protesters.
— Amerika'nın Sesi (@VOATurkish) May 17, 2017
A month after the brawl took place, two Turkish men were arrested by US Marshals and accused of assaulting peaceful protesters.
— Petros Kasfikis (@PetrosKas) May 17, 2017
"Now that charges have been filed, the Department will weigh additional actions for the named individuals, as appropriate under relevant laws and regulations," a senior State Department official told Fox News back in May. "Any further steps will be responsive and proportional to the charges."
State Department officials claimed that attackers were staff from the Turkish Embassy and from Erdogan's personal security detail.
The Turkish Embassy later went on to say protesters associated with the PKK "began aggressively provoking Turkish-American citizens who had peacefully assembled to greet the president," which set off the violent event.
The Kurdistan Workers Party, known by the acronym PKK, has long been classified as a terrorist group by Turkey and the United States. The US first placed the PKK on its list of "Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations" on October 8, 1997.
In early June, US House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution calling for the perpetrators at the brawl to be brought to justice regardless of their diplomatic immunity.
