Police in Dublin, Ireland have arrested a man who drove a truck through the gate of the Russian embassy in protest against the invasion of Ukraine.
The incident occurred earlier today and the video quickly went viral on Twitter.
After he’d reversed through the gates, the driver exited the vehicle and handed out anti-Russian leaflets before stating, “I’ve done my bit lads. It’s about time the rest of Ireland done their bit.”
The attacker then demanded that Yury Filatov, the Russian ambassador, “leave this country.”
After arresting the culprit, police said they were investigating the incident as “criminal damage.”
The embassy has been targeted numerous times with anti-Russian sentiment since the invasion began last month, including messages such as “fuck Russia” being daubed in graffiti outside as well as red paint being thrown onto the building’s entrance.
Filatov previously claimed that Ireland has become hostile toward “Russia and everything Russian” as a result of skewed coverage by the Irish media.
The conflict prompted the Irish government to reconsider its traditionally neutral stance, with Prime Minister Michael Martin asserting, “We are not neutral in respect of what’s happening in Ukraine.”
An angry crowd of protesters previously harassed Filatov as he tried to enter the embassy in his vehicle as demonstrators carrying Ukraine flags threw objects at the car.
