U.S. President Donald Trump praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a friend who gets "high marks" for "running a very difficult part of the world."

Trump's effusive praise for the Turkish leader came on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday despite tensions between the two countries over the conduct of Turkish security officials toward American protesters.

Hours before Trump met Erdogan for talks, Erdogan supporters punched and kicked three protesters who interrupted his speech at a New York hotel.

Erdogan was addressing several hundred people at an event organized by a business group, the Turkish-American National Steering Committee, when one man stood and began shouting, “Terrorist! Terrorist!”

voice of America TV footage shows audience members pummeling him as U.S. security officers tried to hustle him to safety. Soon after he was gone, a second man followed suit and also was repeatedly punched and hit over the head with Turkish flags as he was led outside by U.S. security.

Erdogan tried to calm the crowd, saying: “Let's not sacrifice the whole meeting for a couple of terrorists.”

Then a third protester started heckling the president from a different part of the crowd. Although that incident occurred off-camera, a VOA reporter who was nearby said he too was beaten.

This was the second time this year that protesters in America have been assaulted by Erdogan supporters.

美國總統川普稱土耳其總統埃爾多安是朋友，他“治理非常難管的地區有方，應該打高分。”

川普星期四在聯大非正式會議期間對埃爾多安贊譽有加，盡管土耳其保安官員對付美國抗議者的行為造成了美土雙邊關系的緊張。

川普與埃爾多安會談前幾小時，三名抗議者打斷了埃爾多安在紐約一家酒店的講話，遭到埃爾多安支持者的拳打腳踢。

當時，埃爾多安在一個商業團體組織的活動上對幾百人發表講話。一名男子站起身高喊“恐怖分子！恐怖分子！”

美國之音的視頻顯示，聽眾對他拳打腳踢，美方保安人員急著將他護送到安全的地方。他走后不久，又有一名男子效仿他的做法，被保安送出會場的過程中，也遭到多次推搡，頭部被土耳其國旗擊中。

埃爾多安試圖平息局面，他說：“咱們不要因為兩個恐怖分子犧牲掉整個會議。”

隨后，第三名抗議者又從人群的另外一個地方對埃爾多安提出質問，雖然沒有被拍到，但是據不遠處的一名美國之音記者說，此人也遭到了毆打。

這是今年以來美國第二次發生抗議者遭到埃爾多安支持者毆打的事件。

U.S. President Donald Trump praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a friend who gets "high marks" for "running a very difficult part of the world."

Trump's effusive praise for the Turkish leader came on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday despite tensions between the two countries over the conduct of Turkish security officials toward American protesters.

Hours before Trump met Erdogan for talks, Erdogan supporters punched and kicked three protesters who interrupted his speech at a New York hotel.

Erdogan was addressing several hundred people at an event organized by a business group, the Turkish-American National Steering Committee, when one man stood and began shouting, “Terrorist! Terrorist!”

voice of America TV footage shows audience members pummeling him as U.S. security officers tried to hustle him to safety. Soon after he was gone, a second man followed suit and also was repeatedly punched and hit over the head with Turkish flags as he was led outside by U.S. security.

Erdogan tried to calm the crowd, saying: “Let's not sacrifice the whole meeting for a couple of terrorists.”

Then a third protester started heckling the president from a different part of the crowd. Although that incident occurred off-camera, a VOA reporter who was nearby said he too was beaten.

This was the second time this year that protesters in America have been assaulted by Erdogan supporters.

美國總統川普稱土耳其總統埃爾多安是朋友，他“治理非常難管的地區有方，應該打高分。”

川普星期四在聯大非正式會議期間對埃爾多安贊譽有加，盡管土耳其保安官員對付美國抗議者的行為造成了美土雙邊關系的緊張。

川普與埃爾多安會談前幾小時，三名抗議者打斷了埃爾多安在紐約一家酒店的講話，遭到埃爾多安支持者的拳打腳踢。

當時，埃爾多安在一個商業團體組織的活動上對幾百人發表講話。一名男子站起身高喊“恐怖分子！恐怖分子！”

美國之音的視頻顯示，聽眾對他拳打腳踢，美方保安人員急著將他護送到安全的地方。他走后不久，又有一名男子效仿他的做法，被保安送出會場的過程中，也遭到多次推搡，頭部被土耳其國旗擊中。

埃爾多安試圖平息局面，他說：“咱們不要因為兩個恐怖分子犧牲掉整個會議。”

隨后，第三名抗議者又從人群的另外一個地方對埃爾多安提出質問，雖然沒有被拍到，但是據不遠處的一名美國之音記者說，此人也遭到了毆打。

這是今年以來美國第二次發生抗議者遭到埃爾多安支持者毆打的事件。