COPENHAGEN, Denmark — An Iranian armed with a knife who tried to enter Iran’s embassy in Copenhagen was arrested on Friday, Danish police said, as Tehran’s mission criticized officers’ slow response.
“A 32-year-old Iranian citizen was arrested Friday morning after having breached the grounds of the Iranian embassy in Copenhagen carrying a knife,” Copenhagen police said in a statement.
The man was apprehended by an embassy employee on its grounds before reaching the mission’s building, it added.
The suspect will be brought before a judge on Saturday, who will decide if he should remain in pre-trial detention.
The police said the Iranian man is accused of vandalism, violence and an offence against someone protected by diplomatic status.
The Iranian foreign ministry “strongly criticized” the Danish response.
“It is regrettable that in the heart of Europe, such an attack can be perpetrated against a woman and ambassador who enjoys diplomatic immunity, and that the police are not at the scene in time,” it said in a statement.
CCTV camera footages show today an attacker with a knife in hand entered #Iran embassy compound in #Denmark capital Copenhagen. He wanted to attack Iranian female ambassador but was stopped by one of embassy personnel. Then he tried to damage some cars and embassy properties. pic.twitter.com/NzDobwrD5Y
— Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) October 7, 2022
Copenhagen police said it had “taken the necessary security measures in regards to the Iranian embassy, its employees, etcetera.”
Iran has faced three weeks of protests since 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in custody following her arrest in Tehran by the morality police for allegedly breaching the Islamic republic’s strict dress code for women.
There have been rallies worldwide in solidarity with Amini.
