A local man will appear before the Magistrates’ Court this morning after allegedly swinging a machete at Royal Gibraltar Police officers in the Upper Town. 

A statement from the RGP follows below:

Ziade Attou, 35, of Paradise Ramp, was arrested for multiple offences by Response  Team officers, following the incident just after 8pm on Saturday evening. 

Officers were dealing with another matter when they observed Attou at the bus stop  opposite Police Barracks, sliding a knife into his waistband. 

After asking him to stop, he then approached officers, brandishing a 30cm-long  machete-type knife at them. 

Attou then ran off up Willis’s Road with the officers giving chase, during which he is  said to have swung the weapon in the direction of one of the officers. 

He then discarded the knife and was arrested, before being taken to New Mole House  Police Station. Later in police custody, Attou spat in an officer’s face, for which he was  further arrested. 

Last night, Attou was charged with attempted Grievous Bodily Harm/Wounding with  Intent, Resisting/Obstructing Police, two counts of Assault on Police and Carrying an  Offensive Weapon in a Public Place. 

He was kept at New Mole House until his appearance at the Magistrates’ Court this  morning (Monday).  

Richard Ullger, Commissioner of Police, said: “I’d like to praise the great observation  skills and actions of the officers involved, for putting their lives at risk in helping to  protect members of the community.”