London police have detained fourteen people after an anti-regime protest outside the Iranian Embassy in Kensington escalated into clashes and disorder.

The disturbance unfolded when a demonstrator scaled the embassy building and removed the flag of the Islamic Republic, prompting a large police response and subsequent attempts by on-lookers to obstruct the arrest.

Officers moved in to prevent further disorder, arresting a total of fourteen individuals on suspicion of offences including violent disorder, criminal damage, assault on emergency workers and trespass on diplomatic property.

Four police officers sustained minor injuries during the confrontation outside the diplomatic mission.

The Metropolitan Police said the protester illegally accessed private property and crossed multiple balconies to seize the flag, an act that drew cheers from some demonstrators before police sought to detain him.

Additional officers, equipped with protective gear, were deployed amid reports that objects were thrown at police as they sought to restore order and protect the embassy.

A Section 35 dispersal order was also imposed in the area to manage the situation and disperse those gathering.

The episode occurred against the backdrop of widespread protests in Iran against the country’s leadership, which have rippled into global solidarity demonstrations.

Earlier in January, a separate protest at the same embassy saw a demonstrator briefly replace the official Iranian flag with the pre-1979 “Lion and Sun” emblem, a symbol associated with opposition groups.

UK authorities have urged calm and reiterated the need to respect diplomatic premises while responding to concerns from the Iranian diaspora and human rights advocates about events unfolding in Iran itself.

The arrests in London come as tensions remain high and solidarity actions continue in capitals worldwide.