Ottawa police have apprehended an individual on charges related to trespassing following an incident where Iran’s closed embassy was vandalized during an anti-regime demonstration on Monday. Authorities were alerted around 5:50 a.m. after reports that someone had trespassed by jumping over a fence at the embassy, which has remained unoccupied since Canada terminated diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012.
A video shared on social media depicted a protester inside the embassy grounds removing Iran’s national emblem from above a set of doors and tampering with a gated window. The emblem taken down was the seal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is also featured on the national flag. In the video, the emblem was replaced with a sign and a flag displaying a lion and a sun, symbols that were used as Iran’s national emblems before the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident in the video for potential additional offenses. While the authenticity of the video has not been independently verified, it has been confirmed that the national emblem was missing from above the doors by Monday afternoon.
The act of vandalism at the embassy coincides with widespread protests in Iran that originated in Tehran and have now spread across the country. The implications of the vandalism on the embassy remain unclear, as per the Vienna Convention, which mandates that countries must “respect and protect” diplomatic premises even after diplomatic ties have been severed.
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is expected to provide a statement regarding its understanding of these obligations. In Canada, the Swiss embassy serves as Iran’s “protecting power,” overseeing Iran’s diplomatic properties and some consular services in Tehran since Canada lacks an official presence there. Italy performs a similar role as Canada’s protecting power in Tehran.
The Iranian mission to the United Nations and the Swiss Embassy in Ottawa have yet to issue official statements regarding the incident. Prior to this incident, red paint was splashed on the embassy’s main door, and the Iranian flag displayed outside had faded to white. Protest posters were affixed to the embassy’s fence on Tuesday, reminiscent of similar actions taken by protesters in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini in Tehran.
The ongoing protests in Iran initially sparked by economic grievances have evolved into demands for the resignation of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The Iranian government has responded forcefully, leading to communication disruptions in the country, with reports indicating over 2,000 protesters have been killed, as stated by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
University of Ottawa professor Thomas Juneau, an expert on Iran, highlighted the scale and intensity of the current protests, suggesting they are more extensive than previous demonstrations. Global Affairs Canada has updated its travel advisory for Iran, urging Canadians to leave immediately due to the ongoing nationwide unrest.