A US federal court has ruled that Turkey is legally responsible for a violent 2017 attack carried out by President Erdogan’s security detail against protesters in Washington, D.C., marking a landmark judgment against a foreign government for political violence on American soil.
THE NORDIC MONITOR -- On October 7, 2025, after Ankara abruptly abandoned the case and stopped participating in proceedings it was poised to lose, the court entered a sweeping default judgment against Turkey. US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly adopted a detailed report by Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh, holding Turkey liable for multiple civil torts and for violating Washington, D.C.’s hate-crime statute.
The ruling stems from the brutal assault on Kurdish and anti-Erdogan demonstrators at Sheridan Circle on May 16, 2017, shortly after President Donald Trump met President Erdogan at the White House. Protesters were standing peacefully on a public sidewalk when members of Erdogan’s official security detail—along with aligned civilians—charged through a police cordon and launched a coordinated attack.
Video evidence shows President Erdogan briefly stopping his motorcade and speaking with his security chief moments before the assault began. Turkish security officers punched, kicked, and stomped protesters, including individuals who were already on the ground or attempting to flee. Several victims were hospitalized. The court found the violence had no legitimate protective purpose and was intended to punish political dissent.