Norton to Speak on House Floor on Resolution Condemning Turkish Officials Involved in Violent Attacks on Peaceful Protesters in D.C., This Afternoon

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) this afternoon will speak at the House floor debate of a bipartisan resolution, cosponsored by Norton, condemning the vicious beating of peaceful protesters who were gathered outside the Turkish Ambassador's residence in the District of Columbia last month. Debate on the resolution is expected to start at approximately 4:30 p.m. Last month, Norton wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asking him to bar any Turkish official who committed, encouraged, facilitated or otherwise participated in the assaults from reentering the United States if they have already left the country and to expel any that remain in the country. H.Res. 354 "condemn[s] the violence against peaceful protesters outside the Turkish Ambassador's residence on May 16, 2017, and call[s] for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and measures to be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future."

"Today's resolution sends an essential message that the United States is a free and democratic country and will not tolerate violence against peaceful protesters," Norton said. "Importantly, this resolution was introduced by top Republican and Democratic leaders at a time when there is little bipartisan agreement on anything else. There can be no disagreement on the free speech right to protest, however. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Peter Newsham has confirmed that the attacks against the protestors were unprovoked. D.C. police are working with the State Department and the U.S. Secret Service to investigate those responsible for these vicious and violent attacks. Turkey is an important U.S. ally—all the more reason not to allow these serious violations of free speech to stand."