Turkey's US envoy condemns attack on Turkish restaurant

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - Turkey's US envoy on Thursday strongly condemned an attack on a Turkish restaurant in California, calling on federal and local authorities to protect Turkish Americans there.

Ambassador Serdar Kilic's remarks came a day after a group of extremist Armenians attacked the restaurant, located in Beverly Hills in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

In a statement, the police department there called the attack a "hate crime."

According to the Beverly Hills Police Department, a group of 6-8 males entered the restaurant, made pro-Armenia comments, destroyed property and physically attacked its employees.

On Twitter, Kilic called on federal and local authorities there to "protect the rights of Turkish Americans and punish the culprits,"

In a subsequent tweet, Kilic called on Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to condemn the "racially motivated hate crime" by extremist Armenians, saying "members of the Turkish American Community in Los Angeles who are also your constituents expect you to stand by them now."

Beverly Hills Mayor Lester Friedman said the attack is an "unacceptable act of hate and violence."

"There is no place in our city for this behavior and we ask members of the public to please come forward with any information on the suspects in this case," said Friedman.