U.S. Rep. Ted Poe called Turkish leader “a dictator” and slammed the attack his body guards on peaceful protesters in Washington on May 16.
“Madam Speaker, it looks like Turkish President Erdogan has brought his brutal crackdown on human rights to Washington, D.C.,” Poe said during his House floor speech.
“For years, Erdogan has attacked Turkey’s democratic institutions, undermined the rule of law, and violated Turkish civil liberties. On Tuesday, several bullies violently assaulted protesters outside the Turkish Embassy here in Washington. These Gestapo-type body guards beat peaceful demonstrators, in one case kicking a woman lying on the ground. This type of behavior is unacceptable.
Erdogan is becoming a Turkish dictator. One of the traits of a dictator is to violently quash opposition. He is showing he doesn’t believe in the democratic principles of free speech and peaceful assembly. But, Madam Speaker, we will have no foreign tyrant violating these sacred rights on American soil without consequences.
And that is just the way it is.”