ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says it's a "scandal" that a U.S. court has decided to indict 19 people, among them 15 Turkish security officials.

Erdogan's comment follows the indictments in the United States of 19 people accused of attacking peaceful demonstrators gathered outside the Turkish ambassador's Washington home during a visit by Erdogan on May 16.

Erdogan said Friday that the security officials were protecting him from members of an outlawed Kurdish militant group after U.S. police failed to do so. One of those indicted is the head of Erdogan's security operation.

He called the indictment "a clear and scandalous expression of how justice works in America" and said he would raise the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump during a visit to New York this month.