A man was arrested after a police intervention around the Iranian consulate in Paris, franceinfo learned from the Ministry of the Interior on Friday April 19. He wore a fake explosive vest, according to corroborating sources at franceinfo. The Iranian consulate area, located rue Fresnel, in the 16th arrondissement of the capital, is completely cordoned off and a strong police force is in place. THE security perimeter had been installed after that“a witness saw a man entering [dans le consulat] carrying a grenade or an explosive vest”, Franceinfo learned from the police headquarters. The report was given at 11 a.m. this morning. Follow our live stream.
The man arrested had a criminal record. He had been sentenced to eight months in prison for attempting to cause a fire at the Iranian consulate in September 2023. This sentence was notably accompanied by a ban on appearing in the 16th arrondissement of Paris for five years.
The BIS mobilized. The prefect mobilized the Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI), an elite police unit, after the “request for intervention” of the consulate. It is notably responsible for fighting terrorism, and intervenes during major crises.
Traffic interrupted on certain metro lines. Metro line 6 is closed between Etoile and La Motte-Piquet Grenelle, and line 9 is interrupted between Franklin-D. Roosevelt and Pont de Sèvres, at the request of the prefecture. Traffic is gradually resuming but remains very disrupted, according to the RATP.