This story was updated at 6:06 p.m.
A woman kicked unconscious by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security guards a mile and a half from the White House last year says she’s outraged that federal prosecutors quietly dropped charges against a man accused of assaulting her.
“We’ve shown the world we don’t really care for our citizens,” said Lusik “Lucy” Usoyan, a Yezidi Kurd born in Armenia. “I’m deeply sad about how it’s turning out. It’s undermining our institutions and undermining our fundamental rights.”
Usoyan was among a small but diverse group protesting Erdogan in May 2017 as he arrived at the Turkish ambassador’s residence following a meeting with President Trump. Protesters included Kurds and Armenians, and people upset about Erdogan’s intolerance of dissent.
Footage showed protesters chant “baby killer Erdogan” before his guards shoved past a police line along Massachusetts Ave. Erdogan watched from a raised driveway as his aides punched, kicked, and choked a group of people that included women, elderly men, and a seven-year-old. D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham called it an “unprovoked and brutal attack on peaceful protesters.”
The U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Columbia indicted 15 members of Erdogan’s security detail after a resolution demanding prosecution passed the House of Representatives. Two Canadian citizens and two pro-Erdogan U.S. citizens also were charged. Both Americans pleaded guilty and will be sentenced April 5, but the others were allowed to leave the U.S.
Of the 15 Turkish guards charged, just four still face charges after the unexplained decision by prosecutors to excuse 11 members of Erdogan’s security detail.
Four guards had their cases dismissed in November, and seven other cases were quietly dropped Feb. 14, a day before then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson traveled to Turkey. The dropped charges were first reported Thursday by the Wall Street Journal.
“I am pissed off,” said attack victim Sayid Reza Yasa, 61, who said he struggles with memory loss after being kicked repeatedly in the head by Erdogan’s security detail. He said he is unable to recall appointments or young relatives’ names.
“This is what I understand: It is okay if an opposing country’s politicians come over here and if they see a demonstration against them, they have a right to kick them and hit them,” he said.
Six men where filmed kicking Yasa, according to an indictment, five of whom were identified from footage of the assault, which was shot by Voice of America, parsed by the New York Times, and matched by the State Department with travel documents. Two of the men indicted for kicking Yasa had their charges dismissed.
Yasa, who like Usoyan is a naturalized citizen, said he’s also outraged that he learned the charges were dismissed from reading the Wall Street Journal article, rather than directly from prosecutors.
Political influence is widely suspected among the attack victims, but is denied by the U.S. attorney’s office. Spokesman Bill Miller said, “We make charging decisions based on the facts and evidence of each specific case.”
A Justice Department official said the men were not issued pardons or relieved in any way by the upper echelons of the Justice Department or Trump administration.
Protesters who were attacked, however, believe there was political pressure, and noted the timing of Tillerson’s trip was one day after the motion to dismiss for seven Turkish guards.
“I cannot find the right words to explain my frustration. This is not acceptable. This is America, the champion of democracy, the most democratic country in the world and we need to protect our system,” Yasa said.
Among the four Turkish security officers who still face criminal charges is Ismail Dalkira, who wore a suit and tie as he allegedly choked Ceren Borazan, a Turkish citizen who lives in the U.S. and attended the protest. A photo of Borazan in a headlock was widely circulated.
President @realDonaldTrump can you please speak up for freedom of expression and right of peaceful demonstration. #FreedomOfSpeech pic.twitter.com/vNQAmXReN0
— Ceren Borazan (@CerenBorazan) May 17, 2017
“The security personnel committed a crime, there was enough evidence to charge them, lots of video,” said Borazan, a Kurd who said she cannot return to Turkey. “I am surprised that it appears that the person who is seen on video kicking women, the elderly, and a seven-year-old child, [would] be able to get off and not have to face a criminal trial.”
Ruken Isik, a U.S. citizen who attended the protest with her then-four-year-old son, said a pro-Kurdish demonstration inside Turkey likely would be deemed illegal “terrorist propaganda,” and that the antidemocratic viewpoint essentially is embraced by dropping charges.
Isik grabbed her son and ran away when the security personnel broke through the police line. She said she was chased but unharmed.
“He’s basically imposed what he’s doing in Turkey on the U.S.,” Isik said. “This is an open invitation for him to continue his oppressive policies not just in Turkey but in other countries as well.”
Erdogan was filmed watching the attack and appeared to communicate with an aide who rushed toward the police line as guards broke through it, but his role remains unclear.
The incident outraged Americans, but also Turks. Erdogan called charges against his guards “a scandal.” Supportive Turkish media cast the protesters as aggressors. Gunay Evinch, co-chairman of the Turkish American National Steering Committee, which organized pro-Erdogan rallies that day, said Kurdish activists started the fight, though he did not arrive on-site until the altercation was ending.
Although Erdogan supporters are seen in footage shoving past a police line, Evinch claimed Kurdish activists crossed Massachusetts Ave. and “advanced upon Turkish Americans” in a “surprise attack” featuring “pure violence out of nowhere.”
Fallout from the incident included cancellation of a $1.2 million deal for guns destined for Erdogan’s guards. For three months in late 2017, both countries canceled the issuance of visas for citizens of the other country after Turkey arrested a local U.S. consulate employee, an action seen as linked to the guards facing charges.
Three of the Turkish guards whose charges were dropped allegedly assaulted Lacy Macauley, an anti-fascism activist who was surrounded and grabbed about two hours after the larger attack.
“It was unjust and appalling what happened to me, but it’s a small part of what happens every day to Kurdish communities,” Macauley said.
Attack victims offer varying degrees of outrage for the silence of Trump, who never publicly condemned the attack. The White House denied Erdogan’s claim last year that Trump apologized for the indictment of his guards.
“I am upset that the president never mentioned it,” Yasa said. “He wants to make America great again but at the same time is not protecting his citizens’ First Amendment rights to protest. He is not protecting us. Is this how he’s going to make America great again? I don’t think so.“
Watch: Footage of the attack:
Turkish guards for whom prosecutors filed motions to dismiss on Nov. 7 include:
Feride Kayasan
Federal prosecutors alleged in an indictment that Kayasan, a female Turkish security official wearing a suit, assaulted three people. At 4:13 p.m. on May 16, 2017, she and others allegedly “kicked and punched” protester Jalal Kheirabadi and “pushed” a protester with the initials H.K.
Later, at 6:17 p.m., Kayasan allegedly “approached anti-Erdogan protester Lacey Macauley and grabbed Lacey Macauley’s hand as Lacey Macauley continued to peacefully protest” and “placed her hand over Lacey Macauley’s mouth in an attempt to silence her.”
Gokhan Yildirim
Federal prosecutors alleged that Yildirim, a Turkish security official wearing a suit and tie, threatened protesters before joining six others — five of whom have been identified — in kicking Yasa “in the head and face.” Because Yasa was 60 or older, he was charged with assaulting a senior citizen.
Before attacking Yasa, Yildirim allegedly told a D.C. police officer at 4:06 p.m., “You need to take them; if you don’t, I will.” And at 4:10 p.m. he allegedly told a Secret Service officer, “We are waiting you to take them out, because President [Erdogan] is coming. If you don’t take, I will take. Okay?”
Hamza Yurteri
Federal prosecutors alleged that Yurteri, a Turkish security official wearing khaki pants and an olive green jacket, assaulted three protesters.
At 4:05 p.m. Yurteri and three other identified men allegedly “punched and kicked” Kheirabadi. At 4:13 p.m. he and four others allegedly “kicked Elif Genc, an anti-Erdogan protester” and joined at least six others, four of whom have been identified, and “kicked anti-Erdogan protester Lusik Usoyan’s head and body causing Lusik Usoyan to lose consciousness.”
Yurteri and others then allegedly “took the anti-Erdogan protesters’ signs, tore them up, and either threw them on the ground or carried them across the street.”
Yusuf Ayar
Federal prosecutors alleged that Ayar, a Turkish security official wearing a suit and tie, and other men “communicated with one another via earpieces.” The indictment did not accuse him of a specific act of violence.
Turkish guards for whom prosecutors filed motions to dismiss on Feb. 14 include:
Turgut Akar
Federal prosecutors alleged that Akar, a Turkish security official wearing a suit and tie, and six other people — five of them identified — “kicked and punched Mehmet Tankan” at 4:13 p.m.
Harrettin Eren
Federal prosecutors alleged that Eren, a Turkish security official wearing khaki pants and an olive green jacket, and six other people — five identified — “kicked and punched” Tankan at 4:13 p.m.
Ismail Ergunduz
Federal prosecutors alleged that Ergunduz, a Turkish security official wearing khaki pants and an olive green jacket, assaulted three protesters.
At 4:05 p.m. he “punched and kicked” Kheirabadi with three other men, the indictment said, and with another man allegedly “kicked” Tankan.
At 4:13, Ergunduz allegedly joined six other men — five identified — in kicking Yasa “in the head and face” as he lay on the ground.
Tugay Erkan
Federal prosecutors did not allege that Erkan, a Turkish security official wearing a suit and tie, committed a specific act of violence, but said he was present during the assault on Yasa and helped surround Macauley later in the day.
Erkan “unlawfully assaulted and threatened Lacey Macauley in a menacing manner,” the indictment said, and “unlawfully assaulted and threatened Murat Yasa, in a menacing manner.”
Lufu (called Lutfu in indictment) Kutluca
Federal prosecutors alleged that Kutluca, a Turkish security official wearing a suit and tie, helped surround Macauley.
Mustafa Murat Summercan (surname Sumercan in indictment)
Federal prosecutors alleged that Summercan, a Turkish security official wearing a suit and tie, “made a throat-slashing motion by moving his hand horizontally across his throat with his palm facing down” shortly before Turkish guards pushed past police at 4:13 p.m.
“Sumercan angrily motioned at the anti-Erdogan protesters to come over,” the indictment said.
At 4:13, Summercan and six other men — five identified — “kicked and punched” Tankan, the indictment said. At about the same time, Summercan on his own allegedly “attacked Heewa Arya, an anti-Erdogan protester, kicking him as he laid on the ground.”
Muhsin Kose
Federal prosecutors alleged that Kose, a Turkish security official wearing a suit and tie, and other men “communicated with one another via earpieces.” He was not alleged to have committed a specific act of violence.
Charges remain against the following four Turkish security officials:
Ismail Dalkiran
Federal prosecutors allege that Dalkiran, a Turkish security official wearing a suit and a tie, “grabbed anti-Erdogan protester Ceren Borazan from behind, placed her in a tight chokehold, and threw her on the ground.”
Servet Erkan
Federal prosecutors allege that Erkan, a Turkish security official wearing a suit and tie, and another man at 4:13 p.m. “kicked anti-Erdogan protester Abbas Azizi in the chest, back, arms, and head.” Azizi is older than 60 years old, resulting in a charge for assaulting a senior citizen.
Erkan also allegedly “kicked and punched” Kheirabadi.
Ahmet Karabay
Federal prosecutors allege that Karabay, a Turkish security official wearing a suit and tie, and six others — five identified — “kicked and punched” Tankan at 4:13 p.m. He and other men allegedly “communicated with one another via earpieces” before the assault.
Mehmet Sarman
Federal prosecutors alleged that Sarman, a Turkish security official wearing khaki pants and an olive green jacket, at 4:05 p.m. “pushed” a protester with the initials H.K. ”to the ground.”
Also at 4:05 p.m., Sarman and three other men — all identified — allegedly “punched and kicked” Kheirabadi. At 4:13 he and at least six other men — four identified — “kicked” Usoyan, causing her “to lose consciousness.”
