This is not acceptable

President Donald Trump laid out the welcome mat this week for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the strongman apparently felt so much at home he thought it OK for his thugs to beat up peaceful demonstrators. It must be made clear that this behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

A confrontation Tuesday outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence resulted in 11 people being injured. Two people were arrested and charged, and police said Wednesday the investigation is continuing. Particular scrutiny needs to be paid to the actions of Erdogan’s security guards, who, a state-owned Turkish news service confirmed, were involved in the fighting because — can you believe the gall? — they didn’t think police were doing enough to quiet the protest. Video and photographs of the incident show men in dark suits and ties, some holding Turkish flags, kicking and hitting protesters. “What we saw yesterday — a violent attack on a peaceful demonstration — is an affront to D.C. values and our rights as Americans,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

There need to be consequences. The State Department issued a relatively strong statement Wednesday saying that it was “concerned by the violent incidents” involving Turkish security personnel. That’s a good first step, but it is not enough. Turkish personnel instigating this violence must be prosecuted or, if shielded by diplomatic immunity, made persons not welcome in this country.