Two blasts occurred near the Israeli Embassy in Copenhagen, prompting the closure of a local Jewish school for the day, according to the police.
Officials have stated that thankfully no injuries have occurred and an ongoing inquiry aims to determine if there’s a link between the early morning explosions at around 3.20 am and the proximity of the Israeli diplomatic premises, nestled among several other embassies.
While the authorities have remained silent on whether any suspects have been detained, the vicinity has seen a surge in security operations including heavily armed police, sniffer dogs and forensic experts, and is currently sealed off.
The nearby Carolineskolen, which serves as Copenhagen’s Jewish educational institution, had already planned to shut its doors over the next two days, observing the Jewish New Year holidays, something Michael Rachlin, representing Denmark’s Jewish collective, confirmed in discussions with The Associated Press.
Further protective steps are anticipated at Copenhagens primary synagogue, amid heightened alertness from the Jewish community. Henrik Goldstein, the communities lead, has called for continued attentiveness within public domains, reports the Express.
He penned a message emphasising caution against unfounded hearsay and the distortions rampant on social media platforms: “I also encourage everyone to be critical of rumours and what they hear on social media,” he cautioned, also making clear his stance that such threats should not deter involvement in Jewish communal activities: “there is no reason to avoid participating in Jewish life”.
Specifics about the force of the explosions or the level of destruction incurred remain undisclosed by the police as of now.
Denmark’s Justice Minister, Peter Hummelgaard, spoke to TV2 broadcaster, describing the incident as “inherently serious,” but stated it was too early to determine a motive.
In a separate incident on Tuesday night, the vicinity of the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm was cordoned off following reports of a loud bang.
Police later confirmed that there were indications that the embassy had been hit by gunfire. No arrests have been made so far.
Swedish broadcaster TV4 reported the discovery of a weapon and an empty shell casing either at or near the embassy. However, Sweden’s domestic security agency informed AP that it was not conducting a preliminary investigation into Tuesday’s incident in Stockholm, leaving the matter to regular police.
Police spokeswoman Rebecca Landberg confirmed: “It is true that the police have made findings at the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, but we will not go into detail about what these findings are.”
Sweden’s Justice Minister, Gunnar Strommer, expressed his concern to the Swedish news agency TT, stating: “I view the shooting at Israel’s Embassy in Stockholm last night and the incidents in Copenhagen this morning with great seriousness.”
#BREAKING Danish police are investigating two blasts near the Israeli embassy in the capital Copenhagen #Copenhagen #Denmark #Israel #Iran pic. twitter.com/tBUhoe61eQ.