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International

Charges dropped against most Turkish officers accused in D.C. clash

17:56, Thursday, 22 March, 2018
Charges dropped against most Turkish officers accused in D.C. clash

Charges have been dropped against 11 members of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's security detail that were accused of beating protesters in Washington, D.C.

Federal prosecutors made the decision to drop the charges against 11 of out the 15 security members in connection with the incident.

Police originally announced charges against 16 people in connection with the violent clashes in June.

The scuffle took place last May after roughly two dozen protesters gathered outside of the Turkish Embassy to protest Erdogan's policies during his visit to Washington.

Nine people were taken to local hospitals following the incident. The Turkish Embassy said that Erdogan's bodyguards were acting in "self-defense” during the incident and accused the protesters of being affiliated with the terrorist group PKK.

A protest leader denied that anyone involved had any ties or sympathies to the PKK.

The clash was criticized by Washington, D.C., police and local officials who described it as a violent attack on peaceful demonstrators.

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