An assault on a protester on the Chinese consulate in Manchester was “absolutely unacceptable” and extra motion could possibly be taken, the overseas secretary has mentioned.
Police needed to rescue the person after he was dragged into the grounds of the constructing on Sunday and seemed to be assaulted by a gaggle of individuals – with a Tory MP claiming a senior Chinese diplomat was concerned.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly informed Sky News that China’s cost d’affaires, Yang Xiaoguang, had been spoken to over the incident.
“We said this is absolutely unacceptable, that the protests were peaceful and legal. They were on British soil, and it is absolutely unacceptable for this kind of behaviour,” he mentioned.
“My understanding is the Greater Manchester Police will be conducting an investigation into this and when I see the details of that investigation, I’ll then decide what more we might need to do on that.”
Diplomatic employees at overseas embassies often have immunity from arrest and prosecution.
The protester, who was demonstrating over the erosion of Hong Kong democracy, informed Sky News he thought he would have died if a police officer hadn’t helped him.
“It all happened too fast,” mentioned Bob Man. “I tried holding on to the gates but couldn’t hold for too long – they then threw me to the ground and started to kick and punch me.”
He was left with bruising, cuts to his face and a bald patch the place his hair was pulled out.
“They might do some bad things to my family in Hong Kong,” added the protester.
“I’m worried about that, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I don’t regret going to the protest because if I don’t speak out, the world wouldn’t see this ridiculous thing happen to me.”
China‘s overseas ministry mentioned on Wednesday that it had additionally lodged representations with the UK over what it described as malicious harassment by lawless parts.
Many folks concern Hong Kong‘s freedoms are being whittled away because the Chinese authorities asserts larger management over the territory.
A nationwide safety regulation, which got here in two years in the past, gave sweeping new powers to jail folks for dissent and protest.
Hong Kong was meant to retain larger freedoms than the Chinese mainland when Britain handed it again in 1997 below the “one country, two systems” precept.
Source: information.sky.com”