Man arrested after ramming barricade near Israel embassy in Tokyo
TOKYO, Nov 16 (Reuters) – A 53-year-old man was arrested in Tokyo on Thursday after crashing a car into a barricade near the entrance of the Israeli embassy and injuring a police officer, authorities said.
Police said the suspect was a member of a right-wing organisation, without elaborating, and that a policeman in his 20s sustained non-life threatening injuries.
Israel’s ambassador to Japan Gilad Cohen said in a social media post he was “shocked” by the events and thanked police for ensuring their security.
[1/5]A view of the scene after a car crashed into a barricade near the Israeli embassy in Tokyo, Japan, November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon Acquire Licensing Rights
The incident happened at an area near the embassy which has been the site of a handful of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in recent weeks against Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
Police had stepped up security in the area, including erecting the temporary barricades, since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, residents said.
A month ago, a staffer at the Israeli embassy in Beijing was assaulted on the street and hospitalised.
Reporting by Francis Tang, Satoshi Sugiyama and Mariko Katsumura; Editing by John Geddie, Christopher Cushing and Raju Gopalakrishnan
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