https://www.google.com/amp/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/17/erdogans-bodyguards-violent-clash-protesters-washington-leaving/amp/
https://www.google.com/amp/heavy.com/news/2017/05/erdogan-bodyguard-video-assault-turkey-president-kurdish-protesters-washington-dc/amp/
In DC there were protests by kurds, turks, Armenians, etc. It was filmed showing ergodans bodyguards brutally assaulting protesters, and the police mostly didn’t intervene. They would push the bodyguards away, but none were arrested. I think only protesters were arrested.
So why did DC police have such poor control Of that situation? Did the bodyguards have diplomatic immunity? Were the cops outnumbered?
I would be happy if those Turkish security guards were arrested, but have no idea if they enjoy diplomatic immunity. But I saw some DC police wailing on some of the Turkish security guards. My overall impression was that it was a chaotic scene and the DC cops probably did the best under the circumstances, but who could predict such wanton violence by the Turkish plainclothes? Absolutely disgusting.
Also, in some of the video I’ve seen, it looks like it’s MPD, uniformed Secret Ervice and Park Police. That’s probably a pretty complicated command structure to figure out how to deal with violent security personnel from an embassy.
Only diplomatic staff and administrative staff get diplomatic immunity, but even there, the police could stop an assault in progress.
Yeah, but it’s a tough call to make when your doing anything could be the touchlight to a diplomatic shitstorm. I expect most of the cops there mostly thought “Fuuuuck this is way above my paygrade” and did the best they could within that framework. Especially considering Trump isn’t exactly known for letting shit go when he feels something makes him look weak.