Chaos erupted outside the Iranian Embassy in London on Friday evening, as protests turned violent, resulting in four police officers sustaining minor injuries. The Metropolitan Police have reported that 14 people were arrested on suspicion of offences, including violent disorder and trespassing.
According to the authorities, a protester managed to climb across multiple balconies and onto the roof of the embassy, where they removed the flag. The individual has since been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, trespassing on diplomatic property, and assaulting police officers.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “During the ongoing protest at the Iranian Embassy this evening, a protester illegally accessed private property and climbed across multiple balconies onto the roof of the Embassy and removed a flag. He has since been arrested by officers on suspicion of criminal damage, trespass on diplomatic property and assaulting police.”
The unrest was sparked by a Section 35 order being imposed due to the ongoing disorder, which included missiles being thrown at officers. The London Ambulance Service was called to the scene in South Kensington at around 8:45 pm, and four people were taken to the hospital.
The protests in London are part of a wider wave of demonstrations that have been taking place in Iran for weeks, fuelled by inflation and a cost-of-living crisis in the country. Former US President Donald Trump had threatened the use of military action in Iran after reports that the regime would execute hundreds of people in a deadly crackdown on the protests. However, the US appears to have backed away from strikes in recent days.
According to the US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency, at least 2,637 people have been killed in Iran, and around 20,000 have been arrested during the ongoing unrest. The protests initially focused on economic issues, but soon saw protesters chanting anti-government slogans and calling for the overthrow of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
The situation in Iran remains volatile, with a nationwide internet blackout reported on Thursday, January 14th, making it difficult for Iranians abroad to contact their families due to the restrictions in place.