Embassy of Libya, London: Difference between revisions

|ambassador = MahmudChargé Mohammedd’Affairs, NacuaMr Khaled Jweda

The '''Embassy of Libya''' in [[London]] is the [[diplomatic mission]] of [[Libya]] in the [[United Kingdom]].<ref name="LDL">{{cite news | url= https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/263519/LDL_December_2013.pdf | title= The London Diplomatic List | date=14 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211155353/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/263519/LDL_December_2013.pdf |archive-date=2013-12-11 }}</ref> Libya also maintains a Consular & Cultural Affairs Section at 61-62 Ennismore Gardens, [[Knightsbridge]] and a Medical Office at 22 Red Lion Street, [[Bloomsbury]].<ref name="LDL"/>

The former embassy which was named as '''Libyan People's Bureau''' was formerly located in the [[St. James's, London|St. James's]] district and was frequently targeted by protesters opposed to the rule of [[Muammar Gaddafi]]. OneOn of17 theseApril protests1984, inshots 1984were fired from the embassy towards protesters on [[St James's Square]], ledinjuring toten shootingand ofkilling thea British police officer, [[Yvonne Fletcher]].<ref>{{cite andnews|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/17/newsid_2488000/2488369.stm|title=Libyan embassy shots kill policewoman|publisher=BBC | date=17 April 1984}}</ref> With the subsequent siege of the embassy by armed police. and [[deportation|expelling]] of those inside,<ref>{{cite news | url= http://world.time.com/2011/08/24/the-bloody-history-of-londons-infamous-libyan-embassy/ | title= The Bloody History of London's Infamous Libyan Embassy | date=24 August 2011 | work=Time}}</ref> Diplomaticdiplomatic relations with Libya were broken off and were not resumed until 1999, whereupon the embassy was moved to its current location in [[Knightsbridge]].

The embassy was again the focus of attention in 2011 during the [[2011 Libyan Civil War|Libyan Civil War]]. There were several protests in the early part of the year<ref>{{cite news | url= httphttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12519676 | title= Gaddafi protests outside Libyan embassy in London | date=20 February 2011 | work=BBC News}}</ref> against the Gaddafi government's crackdown on protesters in [[Benghazi]], culminating in the occupation of the embassy's roof and the swapping of the flag with that of the [[National Transitional Council]] (now the current Libyan flag).<ref>{{cite news | url= httphttps://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/mar/16/protesters-occupy-libyan-embassy-roof | title= Protesters occupy Libyan embassy roof in London | date=16 March 2011}}</ref> In July of that year the British government expelled the existing embassy staff and formally recognised the NTC as the sole legitimate authority in Libya.<ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-welcomes-re-opening-of-libyan-embassy | title= Foreign Secretary welcomes re-opening of Libyan Embassy | date=9 August 2011}}</ref>

File:Libyan Peoples Bureau London.jpg|The embassy in 2008, prior to the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi

File:Former Libyan EmbassyPeople's Bureau, St James's Sq, London.JPG|The oldformer embassyLibyan onEmbassy (left) in St. James's Square which was known as the Libyan People's Bureau