Letter to the Hon. Jeff Sessions, Attorney General, and to the Hon. Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State - Urging Expulsion of Turkish Personnel Who Assaulted Peaceful American Protestors

Letter

Dear Attorney General Sessions and Secretary Tillerson:

We write today to express our outrage over the remorseless acts of violence inflicted upon individuals exercising their Constitutionally-protected First Amendment right to free speech outside the Washington, D.C. residence of the Turkish Ambassador on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. Widely circulated video evidence shows and subsequent reports confirm that several members of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's security detail physically assaulted multiple individuals leaving them bloodied and bruised with some having to be hospitalized due to the severity of their injuries.

This behavior is the second time in two years that Turkish security forces have threatened and assaulted U.S. citizens and legal residents on American soil. This is unacceptable in any situation, but even more so when Turkish leaders come and claim to be faithful allies to the United States. This clear disrespect for our laws and those who enforce them, especially during National Police Week, is intolerable.

The individuals involved in Tuesday's attacks on Americans on U.S. soil must be identified and brought to justice. Turkish personnel based in the U.S. who were involved in the attacks should be declared persona non grata and expelled from the U.S. immediately. Turkish personnel not based in the United States who were involved in the attacks should be barred from entry into the U.S. in the future. Foreign nationals who cannot respect the rule of law of this great country should not be allowed to enjoy the rights and privileges it affords.

Allies do not threaten U.S. troops and allies do not attack U.S. citizens on American soil. We ask you to uphold law and order and demand accountability from the Erdogan government.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter and look forward to your response.