By Peter McLaren-Kennedy • Published: 17 Oct 2022 • 20:12
Police intervene in Chinese Consulate - Credit Twitter@RobertClark
Speaking to Sky News on Monday. October 17 Bob Man said that he was one of many pro-democracy protesters outside the consulate grounds in Manchester when he was grabbed and dragged inside and beaten.
He said the protest was peaceful until consulate staff came out and tore down banners and posters of Chinese President Xi Jinping, which they said they found offensive.
According to Manchester police, he was one of around 30 or 40 protesters gathered outside the consulate when a group of men came out and grabbed a man before dragging him onto the consulate grounds.
"A Hong Kong pro-democracy protester was apparently beaten inside the grounds of the Chinese consulate in Manchester [UK] on Sunday…" – @Telegraph https://t.co/ZCkxTwoCl1 China's abusive regime, coming soon to your neighbourhood… https://t.co/zjIdwbOGAg — Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) October 17, 2022
"A Hong Kong pro-democracy protester was apparently beaten inside the grounds of the Chinese consulate in Manchester [UK] on Sunday…" – @Telegraph https://t.co/ZCkxTwoCl1
China's abusive regime, coming soon to your neighbourhood… https://t.co/zjIdwbOGAg
— Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) October 17, 2022
They said: “Due to our fears for the safety of the man, officers intervened and removed the victim from the consulate grounds.”
Bob Man said he thought he was going to die as he was thrown to the ground and kicked and punched. According to the police Man suffered – suffered several physical injuries and remained in the hospital overnight for treatment.
I spoke to “Bob”, the Hong Kong protester who got dragged into the Chinese consulate in Manchester when protesting outside. He was terrified: he sustained injuries on his head, face, neck, back and waist. https://t.co/STWA88DRQG pic.twitter.com/NO4HljkN9P — Kris Cheng (@krislc) October 16, 2022
I spoke to “Bob”, the Hong Kong protester who got dragged into the Chinese consulate in Manchester when protesting outside. He was terrified: he sustained injuries on his head, face, neck, back and waist. https://t.co/STWA88DRQG pic.twitter.com/NO4HljkN9P
— Kris Cheng (@krislc) October 16, 2022
Footage taken on the scene has spread around the world with Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts saying a full investigation was underway, but that no arrests had been made.
The Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the UK, Alicia Kearns has said the government will summon the Chinese Ambassador and make a formal request for the people concerned to be prosecuted and expelled.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters in Beijing that he was not aware of the situation but that Chinese missions acted in accordance with international diplomatic agreements.
“Chinese embassies and consulates in the UK have always abided by the laws of their country of residence, and we also hope that the British side will facilitate the normal performance of duties of Chinese embassies and consulates.”
The denial by the Chinese Foreign Ministry is not uncommon with the country having gone to great lengths to crush the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. Although the British police are to investigate the beating of a protester it is unlikely that they will be able to see justice done, not without the cooperation of the consulate and that is unlikely to be forthcoming.
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Originally from South Africa, Peter is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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