By Ben Kerrigan-
Foreign secretary, James Cleverly should at least sanction Chinese officials for the criminal act of violence displayed on British soil. Cleverly said he had not ruled out prosecuting or expelling them from Britain for the “completely unacceptable” violence against pro-democracy protesters in Manchester.
A pro-democracy Hong Kong protester, named only as Bob, needed overnight hospital treatment, after being beaten by men who appeared to emerge from the consulate to confront campaigners over “offensive” banners. The extreme violence shown is intolerable and must not be left unaddressed.
Cleverly confirmed he had summoned China’s chargé d’affairs in London “at the first available opportunity” to demand an explanation over the incident outside the Chinese consulate on Sunday.
One of China’s most senior diplomats in the UK, Zheng Xiyuan, claimed his staff were attacked by a mob who had “stormed” Beijing’s Manchester’s headquarters.
Footage posted online showed a person, believed to be the counsel general, Zheng kicking down banners and forcefully grabbing Bob’s hair before the protester was pulled inside the consulate grounds and beaten. British police are still investigating the incidence which took place during a demonstration against Chinese President Xi Jinping. Officers from Greater Manchester Police entered the consulate grounds to rescue a man who they said “was dragged” inside and assaulted by several men.
“Today we have made our view clear to the Chinese authorities: the right to peaceful protest in the UK must be respected,” he added.
China’s ambassador to the UK is not currently in the country, so Charge d’Affaires Yang Xiaoguang was summoned to the foreign ministry to explain the incident. He met a foreign office official who told him all diplomats and consular staff must respect UK laws and regulations.
Earlier, in Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, blamed the protesters for the incident.
“Diplomatic institutions of any country have the right to take the necessary measures to safeguard the peace and dignity of their premises.”
Video footage from the incident showed a grey-haired man in a hat and face mask kicking protesters’ banners — one of which showed a near-naked Xi in a crown — and scuffling with a group of demonstrators at the gates of the consulate.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday, Cleverly said: “Greater Manchester police are conducting an investigation. Once I get the details from that I’ll see what other action I might choose to take in response to that.
“But I made it very clear at the first opportunity that this is completely unacceptable behaviour. The right thing now to do is to get the full facts from the police investigation.”
Asked whether there was a possibility that some officials not covered by diplomatic immunity could be prosecuted, he added: “I don’t want to speculate about what we might do in response to the information we get from the Greater Manchester police.”
The Chinese consulate released a letter it has provided to GMP in which it claims that the building was “stormed” by a mob of protesters who had displayed “deeply offensive imagery and slogans”.
Footage filmed by campaigners appeared to show several men, including one wearing a riot helmet and two wearing stab vests, emerge from the consulate and start tearing down banners before the violence erupted.
Several of these men were filmed punching and kicking the protester named Bob after dragging him inside the grounds of the consulate, where UK police need permission to enter.
A police officer could then be seen pulling Bob away from the assailants.
In a statement on Monday, GMP 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. Due to our fears for the safety of the man, officers intervened and removed the victim from the consulate grounds.