WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview that US President Donald Trump apologized to him for a violent fight between Edogan's security guards and protesters outside the Turkish Embassy in Washington, DC in May.
"He said that he was sorry and that he was going to follow up on this issue when we come to the United States within the framework for an official visit," Erdogan told PBS NewsHour on Tuesday.
On May 16, Erdogan's security personnel clashed with Kurdish protesters in the vicinity of the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington during Erdogan's visit to the United States. At least nine people were injured and two others arrested during the brawl.
Videos of the incident showed Erdogan's bodyguards hitting and kicking protesters as the president looked on from his car.
Erdoğan’s guards attack protesters outside Turkish embassy in DC || https://t.co/koGFgg2Ezy pic.twitter.com/cttskCNwIl
— Turkey Purge (@TurkeyPurge) 17 мая 2017 г.
WATCH: President Erdoğan sat in his car and watched his security detail attack protestors outside the Turkish Embassy in Washington DC. pic.twitter.com/WB70f7xmDo
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) 18 мая 2017 г.
In late August, the US government brought charges against 19 people, including 15 officers of the Turkish security services, for attacking participants of the protest.
Last week, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said that the charges brought against guards of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by the US authorities have seriously damaged Turkish-US relations. According to the deputy prime minister, the indictment against Erdogan's guards was based on the testimonies of supporters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a designated terrorist group in Turkey.
