A Norwegian was sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday after he was arrested for smashing a glass display cabinet and allegedly destroying the CPP posters inside on Sunday in Daun Penh district.

Huot Chanyaran, Daun Penh district police chief, said yesterday that the suspect Gisle Reikvam, 50, was staying at the Monivong Guesthouse on Monivong Boulevard.

Chanyaran said the suspect was returning home after drinking at around 8:30pm when he purportedly punched a glass box displaying Prime Minister Hun Sen’s portrait outside of the CPP district office. Reikvam’s hand and arm were cut badly during the incident.

“The suspect has been jailed once before in connection with the destruction of an ABA ATM a few months ago, but was freed after his mother sent money to pay for the damage,” Chanyaran said.

A local witness, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Reikvam was clearly intoxicated when he punched the poster display, and bled profusely before authorities arrested him at his guesthouse.

Reikvam allegedly told police he did not mean to destroy the display, but accidentally fell against it and then ran away because he was scared.

Reikvam was briefly treated for his wounds at Calmette Hospital before being temporarily detained at the Daun Penh district police station.

Court spokesman Ly Sophana declined to comment on the future of the case, saying he was too busy.

The Norwegian Embassy did not respond to requests for comment.