Seven men have been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm following an altercation outside the Iranian Embassy in Knightsbridge, west London. The incident occurred on Prince’s Gate shortly after 9:50 am on Friday, when Metropolitan Police officers responded to reports of a violent clash involving protesters supporting and opposing the Iranian regime. Two men were injured and treated at the scene by London Ambulance Service personnel, with one evacuated to a major trauma centre and the other to hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The police have cordoned off the area around the embassy as investigations continue, with officers still present at the scene. Additionally, authorities have imposed restrictions preventing further protests there until 1 pm on Sunday. One man was also arrested on suspicion of breaching these protest conditions.

Footage shared on social media depicted two men lying on the ground within a fenced-off road section; one was shirtless and bleeding from the nose and mouth, while the other appeared motionless, clutching his leg and ankle as police attended to them. The tensions appear to stem from the ongoing conflict between pro- and anti-Iranian regime groups, highlighting the embassy’s role as a focal point for political demonstrations.

This latest incident echoes a history of confrontations at the Iranian Embassy in London. Notably, in September 2022, protests erupted there following the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran. Demonstrators chanted slogans against the Islamic Republic and displayed the former Iranian national flag. These protests escalated into violent clashes with police, resulting in twelve arrests on suspicion of violent disorder and five officers sustaining serious injuries. The authorities reported missiles thrown at officers and breaches of police lines in the same Prince’s Gate area, underscoring the embassy’s symbolic significance for dissent related to Iranian politics.

Earlier instances of unrest have included a 2018 protest when four individuals climbed onto the embassy’s first-floor balcony to wave flags and replace Iran’s national flag with that of their group. Though no injuries were reported, the protesters were arrested for criminal damage and trespassing on diplomatic premises, reflecting ongoing tensions expressed through various forms of direct action.

The recent arrests and violence mark another chapter in the pattern of protests and clashes at this diplomatic site. While the reasons for the latest confrontation remain linked to opposing views on the Iranian regime, the exact motivations and details of the altercation are still under investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

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Source: Noah Wire Services