Police call-out in Bad Godesberg Young adults break into former Iranian embassy
Bad Godesberg · Two young adults broke into the former Iranian embassy in Bad Godesberg on Sunday evening and threw stones. Police surrounded the building. The B9 was also closed off.
Police and firefighters were called out on Sunday evening for an unusual operation. Several people were reported to the Bonn police control centre who had gained access to the former Iranian embassy in Friesdorf. The mission report was received around 21.46 o'clock, police spokesman Simon Rott explained on Monday on GA inquiry. The police surrounded the building with many forces and closed in this range also the Godesberger avenue (B9) in the direction of Bad Godesberg for the traffic. The professional fire-brigade illuminated the property for the officials.
Witnesses noticed something was up when the intruders threw stones on a neighbouring gas station. "A car seemed to be also damaged in the process," Rott said. The police addressed the intruders via microphone and asked to turn themselves in. Only after the officer-in-charge threatened to search them by means of a police dog did the two people turn themselves in. These were a 17-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man. Both were searched on the spot by the task forces, questioned and taken to the police station.
According to the police spokesman, the persons were not demonstrators. Apparently, both wanted to stay on the premises in their free time. After they surrendered to the officers, the area and the six-storey building were searched by the police officers together with the service dog as a precaution. No other persons were found.
After the end of the police measures both persons were released from custody and the 17-year-old was handed over to her mother. Both are being investigated for trespassing, damage to property and dangerous interference with traffic.
In the past, there have been repeated police operations at the former Iranian embassy. In March 2018, activists had occupied the building for a week. At the time, one hundred riot police assisted state security in removing the last four squatters, who were between 17 and 26 years old, from the property. With shields, chainsaws, battering rams and heavy equipment, they arrived in the early hours of the morning to open the front door. Shortly after the building was surrounded and the gate opened, a hooded activist shouted from an upstairs window, "We're giving up and coming out."
In mid-June 2021, there had been three different demonstrations in front of the former embassy in one day. According to Bonn police, the demonstrations at the time were related to the presidential election in Iran. All three demonstrations had been previously registered. In the meantime, there were traffic obstructions on Godesberger Allee. The property still belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran but was rededicated after the move, so it is no longer an extraterritorial area.
(Original text: Maximilian Mühlens; Translation: Mareike Graepel)
