埃尔多安支持者和抗议者在华盛顿发生冲突，美国传召土耳其大使

The State Department summoned Turkey's ambassador after bodyguards and supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan beat protesters outside the Turkish embassy earlier this week.

A State Department official said Ambassador Serdar Kilic met with Under Secretary of State Thomas Shannon Wednesday -- a day after the embassy violence. "Violence is never an appropriate response to free speech, and we support the rights of people everywhere to free expression and peaceful protest," State Department spokesman Heather Nauert said. "We are communicating our concern to the Turkish government in the strongest possible terms."

The embassy blamed the violence on groups linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), saying they "aggressively provoked Turkish-American citizens" who had gathered to greet Erdogan.

Tuesday's fight outside the embassy injured 11 people, at least one critically. It took place just hours after Erdogan met with President Donald Trump at the White House.