Charges dropped against most Turkish officers in D.C. clash

March 22 (UPI) -- U.S. prosecutors have dropped charges against 11 members of a Turkish security team, who were accused of assaulting protesters at Turkey's Washington, D.C., embassy last year.

The clashes occurred last May after protesters gathered outside the Turkish Embassy to protest Ankara leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Washington.

Videos of the clashes show Washington, D.C., police and U.S. Secret Service officers trying to intervene as demonstrators were punched and kicked by members of the Turkish security team.

Nine people were hospitalized after the fighting, which Turkish officials said broke out as Erdoğan's bodyguards acted in self-defense. White House officials and police described the event as a violent attack on peaceful demonstrators.

In November, prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss charges against four members of Erdogan's security detail, and counts against the remaining seven were dropped Feb. 14 -- the day before U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson flew to Ankara to meet Erdogan.

U.S. officials said the charges were not dropped for political reasons, but rather because investigators had misidentified some of the suspects and failed to collect enough evidence.

After the charges were dropped, the U.S. attorney's office did not make an announcement. It was made known after the office responded to inquiries from The Wall Street Journal.

U.S. officials are still pursuing charges against four members of the Turkish president's security detail and two Canadian citizens. Two American citizens pleaded guilty for their roles in the incident and are awaiting sentencing.