Around the late 1960s, the Soviet embassy in Griffith had become a target for arson and a time-bomb.
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A front page report by The Canberra Times, on this day, 51 years ago, stated that the cost of the police guard at the embassy, since 1967, was about $60,000.
A Department of the Interior spokesperson told The Canberra Times that a police guard was established in 1967, after a fire was started in a hedge surrounding the embassy. "Host countries had a duty to protect foreign missions", the spokesperson said.
In October 1968, a time-bomb had been placed in the embassy's grounds. Heightened tension overseas caused the guard to be reinstated at various times in succeeding months.
More than 19,100 man hours had been spent guarding the embassy. The $60,000 consisted of salaries, overtime and penalty rates.
At various times the Yugolsav, Cambodian, United Arab Republic, United States, Spanish and Israeli embassies have also had police guards, not always at the request of the embassies.