Cleverly summons China’s deputy ambassador after consulate protester beaten
Foreign secretary James Cleverly has summoned China’s deputy ambassador to the UK, after a pro-Hong Kong democracy protester was beaten outside the country’s consulate in Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police said a protester was on Sunday dragged into the Chinese consulate by its staff and beaten, sparking serious freedom of speech concerns within the UK government.
A Number 10 spokesperson today said Cleverly had summoned China’s Charge d’Affaires to the UK to tell him that “the right of peaceful protest in the UK must be protected”.
The spokesperson said that “summoning a foreign representative is not a decision taken lightly”.
Junior foreign minister Jesse Norman said the government was “extremely concerned at the apparent scenes of violence”.
He said Cleverly would express his “deep concern” to the Chinese Charge d’Affaires and “demand an explanation for the actions of the consulate staff”.
“Peaceful protest as this House has always recognised is a fundamental part of British society and our way of life. All those on our soil have the right to express their views peacefully, without the threat of violence,” he said.
The victim has told police that four consulate staff beat him and tore his hair, after dragging him through the gates of the property.
It came as protesters gathered outside the gates of the building to protest China’s democracy and freedom of speech crackdown in Hong Kong.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin has disputed the account and said that “disturbing elements” illegally entered the Manchester consulate.
A Greater Manchester police statement yesterday said: “Shortly before 4pm a small group of men came out of the building and a man was dragged into the consulate grounds and assaulted.”
Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith today said the government had been “dancing away” from the incident before today and has called on Chinese ambassador Zheng Zeguang to deliver a full apology.