</s>WASHINGTON — A total of 19 people, including 15 identified as Turkish security officials, were indicted Tuesday by a grand jury in the U.S. capital for attacking protesters in May 2017 during a U.S. visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The indictments charge the defendants with attacking peaceful demonstrators who had gathered on May 16 ...</s>(WASHINGTON) — A grand jury in the U.S. capital has issued indictments for 19 people, including 15 identified as Turkish security officials, for attacking protesters in May 2017.

The indictments, announced Tuesday, charge the defendants with attacking peaceful demonstrators who were protesting the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 17. All 19 are charged with conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, a felony punishable by a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison. Several face additional charges of assault with a deadly weapon.

Sixteen of the defendants had already been charged June 13; Tuesday's indictment adds three new defendants, all Turkish security officials.

Two of the defendants were arrested in June and face an initial court hearing on Sept. 7. The rest remain at large.</s>Nineteen people, including 15 Turkish security officials, have been indicted for attacking protesters during a visit to the U.S. from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a massive brawl caught on video.

Witnesses to the scuffle outside the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C., in May claimed that members of Erdogan's security detail attacked the demonstrators. Erdogan was in the U.S. for a meeting with President Donald Trump at the time.

Two Turkish bodyguards were briefly detained after the incident. They later were set free and returned to Turkey.

The indictments charged the defendants with attacking peaceful demonstrators who were protesting Erdogan's visit on May 17. All 19 were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, a felony punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Several face additional charges of assault with a deadly weapon.

Sixteen of the defendants had already been charged June 13 but Tuesday's indictment added three new defendants, all Turkish security officials. Two of the defendants were arrested in June and face an initial court hearing on Sept. 7.

The U.S. ambassador in Ankara, John Bass, was later summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkey said, over what it called "aggressive and unprofessional actions" by U.S. security personnel against Turkish bodyguards in Washington during Erdogan's visit.

"We can confirm the Turkish Foreign Ministry convoked our Ambassador to Turkey to discuss the violent incidents involving protestors and Turkish security personnel on May 16," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said at the time. "As we noted previously, the conduct of Turkish security personnel last week was deeply disturbing. The State Department has raised its concerns about those events at the highest levels."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>A grand jury in Washington has indicted 19 people, including 15 Turkish security officials, in connection with a brawl that broke out during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the U.S. capital in May.

The indictments, announced Tuesday, charge the defendants with attacking peaceful protesters outside the Turkish ambassador's residence.

All 19 are charged with conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, a felony punishable by a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison. Several face additional charges of assault with a deadly weapon.

Sixteen of the defendants had already been charged in June; Tuesday's indictment adds three new defendants, all Turkish security officials.

The incident, which took place after Erdogan met with President Donald Trump at the White House, put further stress on already strained relations between Washington and Ankara.

Video of the incident recorded by VOA Turkish showed men who appeared to be security guards and Erdogan supporters attacking and beating a small group of protesters.

Men in dark suits and others repeatedly kicked one woman as she lay curled up on a sidewalk. Another wrenched a woman's neck and threw her to the ground. A protester with a bullhorn was repeatedly kicked in the face.

Washington police struggled to protect the protesters, who did not appear to initiate the attacks, and ordered the Erdogan supporters to retreat. Several suspects dodged the officers, however, and continued to flail at and punch their targets.

The Turkish Embassy claimed Erdogan's bodyguards acted in "self-defense," without citing any evidence. Turkish diplomats further claimed that the protesters were affiliated with the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, an outlawed group in Turkey, but offered no substantiation for that accusation.

Nine people were injured in the skirmish.

VOAnews.com later posted additional video recorded just before the clash. It showed that Erdogan, returning to the embassy after his White House meetings, spoke briefly with members of his armed security detail; moments later, the bodyguards broke through a police line and violently charged the protesters. Erdogan, standing beside his limousine, was seen looking on as the attack unfolded.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — A total of 19 people, including 15 identified as Turkish security officials, were indicted Tuesday by a grand jury in the U.S. capital for attacking protesters in May 2017 during a U.S. visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The indictments charge the defendants with attacking peaceful demonstrators who had gathered on May 16 outside the home of the Turkish ambassador, awaiting Erdogan's arrival after he had met with President Donald Trump at the White House.

The case threatens to further complicate already tense relations between the two NATO allies. Ankara strongly opposes the U.S. decision to arm Syrian Kurdish rebels fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. Turkey views the Syrian Kurds as an extension of its own outlawed Turkish Kurdish movement and opposes any moves that could lead to the formation of an independent Kurdish state.

All 19 defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, a felony punishable by a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison. Several face additional charges of assault with a deadly weapon.

Sixteen of the defendants had already been charged on June 13; Tuesday's indictment adds three new defendants, all Turkish security officials. Two of the defendants were arrested in June and face an initial court hearing on Sept. 7. The rest remain at large.

Several are members of Erdogan's security detail who returned with him to Turkey, so it is unclear if any will face legal repercussions in the United States. However, they could end up being threatened with arrest if they return to the U.S. If any are still in the country, they could be expelled if Turkey refuses to waive diplomatic immunity.

Video of the protest showed security guards and some Erdogan supporters attacking a small group of protesters with their fists and feet. Men in dark suits and others were recorded repeatedly kicking one woman as she lay curled on a sidewalk. Another wrenched a woman's neck and threw her to the ground. A man with a bullhorn was repeatedly kicked in the face.

After police officers struggled to protect the protesters and ordered the men in suits to retreat, several of the men dodged the officers and ran into the park to continue the attacks. In all, nine people were hurt.

On the day of the violence, police detained two members of Erdogan's security detail but released them shortly afterward. Two other men were arrested at the scene — one for aggravated assault and the other for assaulting a police officer.

American officials strongly criticized Turkey's government and Erdogan's security forces for the violence; the State Department summoned Turkey's U.S. ambassador to complain. The Turkish Foreign Ministry then summoned America's ambassador to protest the treatment of the detained security guards.

Turkey's official Anadolu news agency said at the time that Erdogan's security team moved in to disperse the protesters because "police did not heed to Turkish demands to intervene." The Turkish Embassy claimed the demonstrators were "aggressively provoking Turkish-American citizens who had peacefully assembled to greet the president. The Turkish-Americans responded in self-defense and one of them was seriously injured."</s>A grand jury on Tuesday indicted 19 people, including 15 Turkish security officials, in connection with a brawl in Washington between protesters and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s security personnel in May, U.S. prosecutors said.

Eleven people were hurt in what Washington’s police chief described as a “brutal attack” on peaceful protesters outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence during Erdogan’s visit to the United States.

The incident, which took place after Erdogan met with President Donald Trump at the White House, put further stress on already strained U.S.-Turkey relations.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said in a statement charges had already been brought against 16 of the defendants, and Tuesday’s indictment added three to the list.

The three were named as Muhsin Kose, Yusuf Ayar and Harrettin Eren, adding they were among the 15 Turkish security officials indicted. The statement did not specify the others in the list.

“All 19 defendants were indicted on a charge of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, with a bias crime enhancement,” it said. The charge is punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison and bias enhancement could lead to longer sentences, the statement said.

Only two of the 19 are in custody, and they are due to appear in court on Sept. 7, the statement said.

The Turkish Embassy has blamed the violence on demonstrators linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which Turkey and the United States consider a terrorist group.</s>WASHINGTON—Two Canadian men are among more than a dozen people indicted Tuesday by a grand jury in Washington, D.C., for attacking protesters in May 2017 during a U.S. visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The indictments charge the defendants with attacking peaceful demonstrators who had gathered on May 16 outside the home of the Turkish ambassador to await Erdogan’s arrival after he had met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. The two Canadians named in the American court document are Mahmut Sami Ellialti and Ahmet Cengizhan Dereci. Read more:Two Toronto men charged in beating of anti-Erdogan protesters in Washington In June, police in the U.S. capital issued arrest warrants for Ellialti on charges of felony aggravated assault and felony assault with significant bodily injury and Dereci on charges of felony assault with significant bodily injury and misdemeanour assault or threatened assault in a menacing manner.

Sixteen of the defendants named in Tuesday’s indictment had already been charged on June 13. Two of the defendants were arrested in June and face an initial court hearing on Sept. 7. The rest remain at large, including the two Canadians. The pair told the CBC last year that they are staunch supporters of Erdogan and had voted to elect him. “Recep Tayyip Erdogan was chosen by the Turkish people. We voted for him and we want him to be our president,” Dereci said at the time.

All 19 defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, a felony punishable by a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison. Several face additional charges of assault with a deadly weapon. Several are members of Erdogan’s security detail who returned with him to Turkey, so it is unclear if any will face legal repercussions in the United States. However, they could end up being threatened with arrest if they return to the U.S. If any are still in the country, they could be expelled if Turkey refuses to waive diplomatic immunity. Video of the protest showed security guards and some Erdogan supporters attacking a small group of protesters with their fists and feet. Men in dark suits and others were recorded repeatedly kicking one woman as she lay curled on a sidewalk. Another wrenched a woman’s neck and threw her to the ground. A man with a bullhorn was repeatedly kicked in the face. After police struggled to protect the protesters and ordered the men in suits to retreat, several of the men dodged the officers and ran into the park to continue the attacks. In all, nine people were hurt. Police detained two members of Erdogan’s security detail, but released them shortly afterward. Two other men were arrested at the scene — one was charged with aggravated assault and the other was charged for assaulting a police officer. American officials strongly criticized Turkey’s government and Erdogan’s security forces for the violence; the State Department summoned Turkey’s U.S. ambassador to complain. The Turkish Foreign Ministry then summoned America’s ambassador to protest the treatment of the detained security guards. Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency said at the time that Erdogan’s security team moved in to disperse the protesters because “police did not heed to Turkish demands to intervene.” The Turkish Embassy claimed the demonstrators were “aggressively provoking Turkish-American citizens who had peacefully assembled to greet the president. With files from The Canadian Press</s>WASHINGTON – Three new people have been indicted by a grand jury for their role in a violent clash between Turkish security officials and protesters outside Turkey’s embassy in Washington in May.

A total of 19 people, including 15 Turkish security officials, have been indicted for the May 16 incident. On Tuesday, the indictment added three new defendants — all Turkish security officials.

On May 16, there was an altercation at the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Northwest D.C. Eleven people were injured, including a police officer, in the melee.

All 19 defendants were indicted on a charge of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, with a bias crime enhancement. Many were indicted on additional charges.

Like WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to engage in conversation about this article and others.</s>Nineteen people have been indicted on charges of attacking protesters outside the Turkish embassy in Washington, D.C., during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's diplomatic visit with President Donald Trump in May.

According to an Associated Press report, 15 of the individuals facing formal charges are Turkish security officials, who were seen roughing up protesters in various videos posted after the skirmish. U.S. officials announced their intent to file charges stemming from the incident in June.

The violent exchange was widely condemned, including by the Trump administration, which issued a statement rebuking the embassy staff for their role May 17.

“We are concerned by the violent incidents involving protestors and Turkish security personnel Tuesday evening. Violence is never an appropriate response to free speech, and we support the rights of people everywhere to free expression and peaceful protest,” the State Department said in a statement.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry fired back at the allegations, however, summoning the U.S. envoy to Turkey to Ankara to lodge a formal complaint over the incident and casting blame on the U.S. for its occurrence.

The clash, which was partially observed by Erdogan according to footage of the incident, was seen as a potential litmus test for how the Trump administration would deal with its NATO ally, led by the autocratic Erdogan. Trump has repeatedly praised the Turkish leader.
A grand jury in Washington, D.C. has issued indictments for 19 people, including 15 identified as Turkish security officials, for attacking protesters in May 2017.