Several members of the Turkish President’s security team to accompany him to next month G-20 Summit to be hosted by Hamburg have been denied entry in Germany over their involvement in a fight with pro-Kurdish demonstrators in May during the Turkish leader’s trip to Washington, reports say citing the German foreign ministry.
Of the 50 bodyguards to accompany Recep Tayyip Erdogan, several of them have been identified in the melee in Washington, which left several protesters injured.
Video footages during Erdogan’s May visit to Washington showed men in black suits, identified as part of his security detail kicking anti–Erdogan protesters outside the resident of the Turkish ambassador in Washington. The bodyguards walked past American police to assault the demonstrators during the President’s visit. Another footage showed Erdogan witnessing the altercation.
The US this month issued an arrest warrant against 12 members of the security personnel over violence.
German parliamentarians have been briefed about the measure.
“On our streets, only the Hamburg police have a say – and no one else. This includes foreign security forces,” Hamburg Senator Andy Grote told Die Welt.
