Police in the British city of Manchester are investigating an incident involving a protester who appeared to be pulled inside the grounds of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) consulate and beaten on Sunday, Oct. 16.
The incident took place during clashes at a pro-democracy demonstration outside the consulate, where banners and slogans against the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and leader Xi Jinping had been erected.
One of the posters reads “Heaven will eliminate the Chinese Communist Party,” a common slogan used in mainland China and during the Hong Kong protests of 2019-2020.
BBC video showed several men from the consulate, some wearing helmets and protective vests, take down several banners, and during a heated confrontation with the protesters, they grabbed one man and dragged him into the consulate grounds.
Police officers at the scene eventually stepped through the gate and pulled the man out.
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“Greater Manchester Police are aware of an incident that took place at around 3pm on Sunday 16 October 2022 at the Chinese Consulate in Manchester,” a police spokesperson told Reuters in a written statement.
“Officers were present and responded immediately to diffuse the situation. Enquiries are ongoing at this time to understand the full circumstances.”
The man who was beaten, who only gave the first name, Bob, had visible injuries to his face.
He told the BBC of his experience, calling the PRC government “thugs.”
There was no immediate reply to Reuters requests for comment from the Chinese consulate in Manchester.
PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters in Beijing on Monday, Oct. 17, that he wasn’t aware of the situation, but that Chinese missions acted in accordance with international diplomatic agreements.
Sunday’s protest took place on the first day of the twice-a-decade congress of the CCP in Beijing, during which Xi is widely expected to win a third leadership term.
By Reuters. (Production: Sophia Wang). Vision Times staff contributed to this report.
