By Jon Ward (Contact)
UPDATED:
A group of Turkish diplomats breached the security bubble around President Obama on Tuesday, provoking a frenzied reaction by security personnel, around the president who pushed and shoved the intruders away from the president's limousine.
The incident occurred as Mr. Obama was preparing to leave the Sheraton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan after speaking to an annual meeting of former President Bill Clinton's Global Initiative. Mr. Clinton was seen escorting Mr. Obama to the limousine moments before the incident occurred.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was among those swept up in the confrontation, the U.S. Secret Service confirmed to the Washington Times Wednesday morning.
Mr. Erdogan was arriving at the same meeting as Mr. Obama was leaving when the scuffle between Turkish security surrounding the prime minister and U.S. security -- Secret Service along with New York City police -- broke out.
The skirmish, which involved shoving, pushing and loud shouting, reached the corner of the large white tent that housed Mr. Obama's limousine just as the president was preparing to get in the vehicle and leave. The Turkish press reported that Mr. Erdogan may have even grabbed a U.S. security agent to stop him from throwing a punch.
The limousine was hidden from view inside a large white tent, a regular Secret Service tactic to protect the president. Moments after Mr. Obama arrived at the car, a large number of uniformed police and plainclothes Secret Service agents converged on the back corner of the tent, shouting loudly.
UPDATED:
A group of Turkish diplomats breached the security bubble around President Obama on Tuesday, provoking a frenzied reaction by security personnel, around the president who pushed and shoved the intruders away from the president's limousine.
The incident occurred as Mr. Obama was preparing to leave the Sheraton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan after speaking to an annual meeting of former President Bill Clinton's Global Initiative. Mr. Clinton was seen escorting Mr. Obama to the limousine moments before the incident occurred.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was among those swept up in the confrontation, the U.S. Secret Service confirmed to the Washington Times Wednesday morning.
Mr. Erdogan was arriving at the same meeting as Mr. Obama was leaving when the scuffle between Turkish security surrounding the prime minister and U.S. security -- Secret Service along with New York City police -- broke out.
The skirmish, which involved shoving, pushing and loud shouting, reached the corner of the large white tent that housed Mr. Obama's limousine just as the president was preparing to get in the vehicle and leave. The Turkish press reported that Mr. Erdogan may have even grabbed a U.S. security agent to stop him from throwing a punch.
The limousine was hidden from view inside a large white tent, a regular Secret Service tactic to protect the president. Moments after Mr. Obama arrived at the car, a large number of uniformed police and plainclothes Secret Service agents converged on the back corner of the tent, shouting loudly.
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