Members of President Ilham Aliyev’s security detail clashed with Azerbaijani protesters in Washington on February 19, as the president attended the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace according to Washington Post.
Video footage widely circulated on social media shows security guards pushing and striking demonstrators who were shouting in Azerbaijani, “freedom to political prisoners”, outside the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Washington, D.C. The incident occurred in view of US police officers.
Among the protesters was Rahim Yagublu, son of opposition politician Tofig Yagublu, who was sentenced in March 2025 to nine years in prison on fraud and forgery charges. Rahim Yagublu later said on social media that the group had gathered peacefully to demand the release of political critics, journalists and civil society members detained in Azerbaijan.
“We peacefully demanded freedom for the political critics, journalists, and civil society members. We did not try to provoke any action,” he wrote. He said he was struck in the face, kicked and had his clothing damaged during the confrontation.
Another protester, blogger Adil Amrahli, was seen in video footage with a visible black eye and bruises to his forehead and nose. According to the Washington Post, an ambulance arrived at the scene and medical personnel examined the injured protesters, though none were hospitalised.
Amrahli told the newspaper that protesters had moved from the hotel’s front entrance to another entrance in an attempt to prevent Aliyev from leaving without being confronted. He is a member of the American Organisation of Azerbaijani Political Refugees (AOAPR), a US-based group of Azerbaijani exiles that says it rejects violence and advocates a “civil and democratic struggle” against the Azerbaijani government.
Azerbaijani pro-government media outlets characterised the demonstrators as a “dangerous group” that had attempted to enter the hotel and described them as “anti-Azerbaijani elements” acting aggressively.
The Washington police department said it was aware of the incident but that no arrests had been made. Police spokesperson Tom Lynch confirmed to the Washington Post that the episode involved Azerbaijani security guards and said the matter had been referred to the US State Department. He did not clarify whether US police had intervened or whether the guards remained in the country.
In an official statement, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States said that a group of protesters had committed “provocative actions” outside the hotel during the president’s visit.
The embassy stated that when the presidential motorcade approached the hotel area, protesters “violently attempted to enter the protected area and took offensive actions against the Presidential vehicle”, also using “indecent expressions” against Azerbaijan’s leadership.
“The Presidential Security Service had no choice but to immediately intervene, since any attempt to obstruct or physically interfere with a protected vehicle carrying the head of state constitutes a serious security concern,” the statement said, adding that the response was aimed solely at ensuring safety and security.
The embassy further noted that, according to the US Secret Service, the hotel area was included within the official security perimeter and rejected what it described as attempts to mischaracterise the measures taken. It said Azerbaijani security personnel operate in strict coordination with the host country and urged responsible reporting.
Aliyev was in Washington to participate in the inaugural session of the Board of Peace, where he and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended as founding members at Trump's invitation.
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