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Brazil police searching for China consulate attacker

Representative image
Representative image

Brasilia [Brazil], September 19 (ANI): Brazilian Police are looking for a man who threw an explosive device at the Chinese Consulate General in the capital city of Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, a media report said.

Local media released a security camera feed of the attacker, who was wearing a face mask and a cap, NHK World reported. The footage shows an attacker taking out an explosive device from a pocket of his jacket, throwing it at the Consulate building.

The building was damaged by the explosion. However, nobody was injured.

The Chinese Consulate-General condemned the attack. The Chinese Embassy said it is in close communication with Brazilian authorities and that it has called for a probe into the attack and the arrest and punishment of the culprit.

This attack comes at a time when Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has rebuked Beijing over the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efficacy of a Chinese vaccine.

According to the Japanese publication, multiple reports suggest a possible link between anti-China sentiments among the president's supporters and the attack on the Chinese diplomatic mission.

Earlier this month, Brazil has suspended beef exports to China after confirming two cases of atypical mad cow disease in two separate domestic meat plants. (ANI)