Two arrested over brawl during Turkish leader's U.S. visit - police

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: Reuters

Two men have been arrested over a brawl in Washington between Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's security personnel and protesters, and charges are planned against a dozen guards, police and a media report said on Wednesday.

The melee outside the Turkish ambassador's residence during Erdogan's visit to the United States last month strained U.S.-Turkish relations. Eleven people were hurt in what Washington's police chief described as a "brutal attack" on peaceful protesters.

Washington police said in a brief statement that Sinan Narin of Virginia was accused of felony aggravated assault and misdemeanour assault. The second man, Eyup Yildirim of New Jersey, faces two felony assault charges and a misdemeanour assault charge.

Yildirim is in custody after an initial appearance before a federal magistrate in Newark, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey said by phone.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-turkey-idUKKBN1953CQ?il=0

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The BBC says, however:

"Mr Yildirim and Mr Narin were both identified as supporters of Mr Erdogan in a detailed New York Times report into the violence.

The newspaper said the men had travelled to Washington to support the Turkish president, but it was unclear if they had a formal connection to his security detail."

[tblue37]

1. They call it a brawl, but it was not. It was an unprovoked assault by

Erdogan's thugs on peaceful protesters. A brawl involves two or more parties fighting each other. The protesters tried to curl up and protect themselves; they didn't even fight back.

[Nitram]

2. Exactly. A brawl suggests both sides were equally involved in the violence.

It was clearly entirely one-sided.