The British Foreign Office and the local police have launched an investigation into the brutal beating of a pro-democracy protestor from Hong Kong at the Chinese consulate in Manchester.
The United Kingdom (UK) government said that the reports were “extremely concerning” and called for clarification from the Chinese diplomatic mission. However, British Prime Minister Liz Truss’s office refused to comment beyond the condemnation, as the police are still looking into the matter.
Another view of the beating whilst police look on failing to intervene with speed and determination. pic.twitter.com/OAxnKt1RMT
— Luke M (@McWLuke) October 16, 2022
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson applauded authorities’ quick response, while the city’s mayor, Andy Burnham, said it is “never acceptable” to attack peaceful protestors.
The consulate has responded by saying that protestors were holding up “insulting” images of Chinese President Xi Jinping and had been asked to shift to the other side of the road. A consulate spokesperson said, “This would be intolerable and unacceptable for any diplomatic and consular missions of any country. Therefore, we condemn this deplorable act with strong indignation and firm opposition.”
Further, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said that while he was not aware of the incident, China’s missions across the globe always adhere to local laws. However, he added, “We also hope that the British side, in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, will facilitate the normal performance of the duties of the Chinese Embassy and consulates in the UK.”
A Hongkonger was dragged into the PRC Consulate and beaten.
— Nathan Law 羅冠聰 (@nathanlawkc) October 16, 2022
If the consulate staff responsible are not held accountable, Hongkongers would live in fear of being kidnapped and persecuted.
Foreign&Home Secretaries must Investigate and protect our community and people in the UK. pic.twitter.com/aHaxgCxecy
The incident occurred as 30-year-old Bob Man participated in a demonstration organised by the pro-democracy “Hong Kong Indigenous Defence Force” outside the Chinese consulate in Manchester on Sunday. Around 30 to 40 individuals gathered in protest of the Xi administration and its actions in Hong Kong.
Speaking to the BBC, Man said that several unidentified men wearing helmets and protective vests attempted to attack the protestors and destroy their posters.
He said that he was then “dragged” into the consulate’s premises, where he was “beat up” by men he alleged are from mainland China. He later escaped with the help of police and other protesters.
He opined, “It’s ridiculous. [The attackers] shouldn’t have done that. We are supposed to have freedom to say whatever we want [in the UK].”
I have also written to the Foreign Secretary @JamesCleverly urging him to summon the Chinese Ambassador and take immediate action.
— Afzal Khan MP (@Afzal4Gorton) October 17, 2022
Along with colleagues, I’m pursuing an urgent question in Parliament.
We need immediate answers from the Goverment.
Read below 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/5EG84pXEvx
Man called for the arrest of the attackers, adding that while he was not afraid for his own safety, his family back in Hong Kong could be attacked.
The group organised the protest in conjunction with 20th Communist Party Congress in Beijing, during which Xi is set to be appointed for his third term as president. During his opening addresses, Xi said his government has transformed Hong Kong “from chaos to governance,” referring to a series of changes in the special administrative region, such as the national security law and the disqualification of pro-democracy candidates from elections.
Since the Chinese government introduced sweeping changes to the national security law in 2020, effectively nullifying the region’s autonomy, many Hong Kong nationals have sought refuge in the UK.
After the UK opened a special citizenship scheme for Hong Kongers, the government received over 140,000 applications. British authorities say that hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong nationals are expected to shift to the UK in the next five years.
.@SuellaBraverman & @JamesCleverly need to urgently investigate.
— Alicia Kearns (@aliciakearns) October 16, 2022
The CCP will not import their beating of protestors and denial of free speech to British streets.
Chinese Ambassador should be summoned & if any official has beaten protesters, they must be expelled or prosecuted. https://t.co/q7Nh55k8fG
The incident in Manchester also amplifies concerns about the Chinese government cracking down on dissent outside of its own borders.
In fact, the incident comes just days after the Safeguard Defenders published a report that revealed that China has opened dozens of police stations around the world to monitor its citizens living abroad and in several cases pressured them to return home to “face justice.”
Similarly, in April, a report by the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Kissinger Institute on China and the United States found that China has detainment facilities across the globe. In fact, it has partnered with at least 44 other countries to “harass, detain, and extradite” thousands of Uyghur Muslims. Concerningly, the report said that the Chinese government runs detainment facilities in the US, Japan, and across the European Union and has targeted over 5,5000 Uyghurs outside China. Over 1,500 Uyghurs have been detained or forced to return to China to face imprisonment and torture by police.
Likewise, there are also reports of China operating “black sites” in countries like the United Arab Emirates to torture Chinese citizens, particularly dissidents and Uyghurs.