A still shot from footage of the clashes between Turkish security forces and protesters on Tuesday night.

A still shot from footage of the clashes between Turkish security forces and protesters last month.

The Metropolitan Police Department has issued arrest warrants for 12 Turkish security officials and two Canadians for taking part in the bloody violence that erupted outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence last month.

“Rarely in my 28 years of policing have I seen what happened in Sheridan Circle,” Police Chief Peter Newsham said at a press conference announcing the charges. “You had peaceful demonstrators that were physically assaulted in the District of Columbia.”

Two people were arrested on site, and MPD made two more arrests yesterday, charging a Virginia and a New Jersey resident.

Police said today that outstanding warrants have been issued for nine Turkish security officers, three Turkish police officers, and two Canadian citizens on a variety of assault charges.

“If they attempt to enter the U.S., they will be arrested,” Newsham said, calling on the suspects to turn themselves in.

At least nine people were injured in the violence, which took place in Sheridan Circle on May 16, during Erdogan’s visit to D.C. Footage shows that the Turkish president witnessed the violence firsthand, hours after meeting with President Donald Trump.

Newsham said today that MPD currently has no information of probable cause to arrest Erdogan.

In a video of the clashes, men in dark suits could be seen encircling a protester and punching him. In another, they kick a different protester lying on the ground with a bullhorn. A third shows protesters spattered with blood. A large number of Metropolitan Police Department officers worked to quell the melee.

“The police did the best they could under the circumstances,” Newsham said. “It was very much unexpected.”

Sinan Narin, of Virginia, was charged with aggravated assault yesterday. Eyup Yildirim, of New Jersey is charged with assault with significant bodily injury, aggravated assault, and misdemeanor assault or threatened assault in a menacing manner.

In addition to the 14 outstanding warrants, police will ask for the public’s help in identifying additional perpetrators of the violence. They plan to release video and images today.

In a rare show of bipartisanship, the the House of Representatives voted unanimously last week to condemn the attack. The resolution called “for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and measures to be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.”

Newsham said that the State Department cooperated with MPD and helped identify the suspects using visa and passport photos. Any decisions about seeking extradition will be up to the State Department.

But the police chief and Mayor Muriel Bowser made clear that violence against protesters won’t be tolerated on D.C. soil.

“This was a clear assault on the first amendment,” Bowser said. “We take our position in the U.S., as the nation’s capitol, very seriously. We host demonstrations month to month. We host millions of people to peacefully protest. We support them. We make sure that they are safe, but we also make sure that they follow our laws. Anyone traveling to the U.S. will be held to that standard.”

A full list of those charged, per the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (MPD has also released photos here):

Turkish security officers (9):
Turgut Akar, 40, charged with simple assault
Ismail Dalkiran, 41, charged with simple assault
Servet Erkan, 42, charged with assault with significant bodily injury and simple assault
Tugay Erkan, 26, charged with assault with significant bodily injury and simple assault
Ahmet Karabay, 53, charged with simple assault
Feride Kayasan, 26, charged with simple assault
Lutfu Kutluca, 46, charged with simple assault
Mustafa Murat Sumercan, age unknown, charged with assault with significant bodily injury and simple assault
Gokhan Yildirim, 28, charged with assault with significant bodily injury

Turkish police officers (3)
Ismail Ergunduz, 41, charged with assault with significant bodily injury and simple assault
Mehmet Sarman, 25, charged with aggravated assault and simple assault
Hamza Yurteri, 24, charged with aggravated assault and simple assault

Others (4)
Sinan Narin , 45, of Mclean, Va., charged with aggravated assault and simple assault
Eyup Yildirim, 50, of Manchester, N.J., charged with assault with significant bodily injury, aggravated assault, simple assault
Ahmet Cengizhan Dereci, 36, of Toronto, charged with assault with significant bodily injury and simple assault
Mahmut Sami Ellialti, 33, of Canada, charged with aggravated assault and assault with significant bodily injury

Previously:
Two Men Arrested Over Violence Involving Turkish Security Forces
House Of Representatives Unanimously Votes To Condemn Turkish Security Attack On D.C. Protesters
Video: Footage Shows Erdogan Witnessed Guards Beating Protesters
D.C. Police Will Pursue Additional Arrests In Violent Clash Between Turkish Guards, Protesters
Video: Nine Injured In Violence Outside Turkish Ambassador’s Residence

Filed Under: erdogan, mpd, turkey, turkish embassy,