Supreme Court rejects Turkey’s bid to stop US brawl lawsuits

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has rejected Turkey’s bid to shut down lawsuits in U.S. courts stemming from a brawl outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington that left anti-government protesters badly beaten. The justices did not comment Monday in turning away Turkey’s arguments that American law shields foreign countries from most lawsuits. Lower courts ruled those protections did not extend to the events of May 16, 2017, when during a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish security forces violently clashed with a crowd of protesters. The Supreme Court’s action allows the lawsuits to proceed. Protesters claim they were punched and kicked. Lawyers for the Turkish government say Erdogan’s security detail was protecting him.