Germany says Turkish bodyguards involved in D.C. skirmish ‘won’t set foot on German soil’

By Isaac Stanley-Becker June 26 at 1:04 PM

BERLIN — Turkish bodyguards served with criminal charges for allegedly attacking protesters outside the ambassador's residence in D.C. “won't set foot on German soil in the foreseeable future, so also during the G-20 summit,” a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry said Monday.

A German official briefed on security matters, who asked not to be identified because he is not authorized to speak about arrangements with foreign governments, said a few of these guards had been on a list prepared by the Turkish Embassy in Germany of individuals scheduled to attend the summit. After the list was received by the German Foreign Ministry, the official said, German federal police and other security personnel communicated to Turkish security that these individuals were not to attend.

Germany is preparing for mass protests when Hamburg, a northern port city, hosts leaders of the world's major economies next month. The annual conference is a favored target of demonstrations, and officials have been rehearsing security scenarios for more than half a year, said Wolfgang Schmidt, state councilor at the Hamburg senate chancellery.

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