US lawmakers from both chambers of the US Congress sent a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the administration not to grant immunity to Turkish security officials who attacked protesters in 2017 during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington.

Fifteen members of Erdogan's security service were charged with attacking and beating up peaceful demonstrators outside the Turkish ambassador's office in Washington in May 2017. The US Attorney's Office dropped the charges against 11 guards, which angered members of the US Congress.

Turkey filed an appeal last July following a decision by a Washington federal court to reject Turkey's request to dismiss a civil suit against protesters attacked by bodyguards and Erdogan supporters. The attack took place shortly after Erdogan's arrival at the ambassador's residence.

A group of Turkish government lawyers appealed the judge's ruling, which said years ago that violent actions by Turkish security officials and Erdogan's supporters against demonstrators were not protected by the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, as Turkish security forces pursued and violently attacked the protesters, many of whom fell on land and no longer posed a threat.