John McCain suggests Turkish ambassador be ‘thrown the hell out’ of US
May 19, 2017, 8:37 AM | Updated: 12:36 pm
(AP Photo)
U.S. Sen. John McCain wants to see the ambassador to Turkey “thrown the hell out” of America but played nicer in an official letter, criticizing a brawl in Washington between a Turkish security detail and protesters.
Earlier in the week, violence erupted between demonstrators and protection assigned to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“I’m still outraged. … We should throw their ambassador the hell out of the United States of America,” McCain (R-Ariz.) told MSNBC on Thursday.
Turkish security guards' attack on peaceful protesters this wk was a despicable display of thuggery & repression – absolutely unacceptable pic.twitter.com/NQL0KychH4
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) May 18, 2017
The protesters were marching calmly outside the home of the Turkish ambassador while Erdogan sat in the back of a car in the driveway. He was in the U.S. meeting with President Donald Trump.
Video showed men in suits who had been with Erdogan rushing into the group and punching and kicking the demonstrators.
“This isn’t some Third World Country. This kind of thing cannot go unresponded to, diplomatically, and other ways — maybe bring lawsuits,” McCain said.
He and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sent Erdogan the letter Thursday.
“These are not just average people who did the beatings, these are Erdogan’s security detail. Somebody told them to go out there and beat up on these peaceful demonstrators. I think it should have repercussions.” McCain said.
“People have the right, in our country, to peacefully demonstrate, and they were peacefully demonstrating.”