US consulate in Zurich reopened after security scare

Special police have been summoned to handle a suspicious package at the US consulate in Zurich (file photo) Reuters

The American consulate in Zurich was evacuated after workers found a suspicious package in the entryway on Monday morning. Police have since declared the area safe and allowed workers back inside.

The shopping bag had anti-American messages on it, including the words, “for the SWAT team”. Zurich city police were summoned to the scene at about 7:45am, reported the Swiss News Agency. Reuters and the Swiss News Agency have since reported that the contents of the bag were harmless.

The consulate is located in an office building in Zurich’s Seefeld neighbourhood close to the lake. That building as well as a second office building were evacuated for the police operation. Forensics officers were on the scene and the area was blocked off to traffic and pedestrians for a few hours.

The police cordon was lifted at around 11:15am and people were allowed to re-enter the buildings, Zurich municipal police said. An investigation is underway.

Zurich-based news portal Blick.chExternal link originally reported the story. As Blick.ch reported, a man who had been harassing consulate employees was arrested about two weeks ago.