A pro-democracy protester in Hong Kong was pulled over to the Chinese consulate grounds in Manchester on Sunday and beaten.
Unidentified persons emerged from the consulate and forced a man into the building before escaping with the help of police and other demonstrators.
“They dragged me in, they beat me,” the protester told the BBC.
A consular spokesperson said the protesters were displaying a derogatory portrait of the Chinese president.
The Foreign Ministry said they were urgently seeking clarification on the incident. Manchester Police launched an investigation.
Speaking after the event, a protester named Bob told BBC Chinese that “mainlanders” – people from mainland China as opposed to Hong Kong – had exited the consulate and destroyed its posters.
“They dragged me in, beat me up trying to stop them,” he said, adding that he was then taken out by the UK police.
“This is ridiculous. They [the attackers] shouldn’t have done that. We have the freedom to say what we want here. [in the UK]”
The crowd remained enraged after the incident. Protesters shouted at men from the consulate and British police, arguing that they could do more.
Consular staff had previously asked protesters to cross the street.
There were two police officers at the protest, but a few more police officers showed up minutes after the argument started.
They gathered at the gates of the compound to break up the conflict and drive back the protesters.
A police officer entered the consulate area and pulled out the man who had been dragged inside.
At least eight people, some wearing helmets and protective vests, later returned to the consulate building.
The consulate is on British soil, but is not trespassing. Any offense committed in diplomatic premises is governed by UK law, but employees may enjoy diplomatic immunity.
Reacting on Twitter, former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said the UK government should demand a full apology from the Chinese ambassador and those involved should be sent back to China.
Protested as demonstrators The Communist Party congress in Beijing began.
President Xi Jinping who will secure a third term in powerHe said he had turned the situation in Hong Kong “from chaos to governance”, referring to China’s suppression of pro-democracy protests there.
A spokesperson for the consulate said that protesters “hung a humiliating portrait of the Chinese president at the main entrance”.
“This will be intolerable and unacceptable for any country’s diplomatic and consular missions. Therefore, we condemn this deplorable act with strong anger and fierce opposition,” the spokesperson said. said.
A spokesperson said Manchester Police were aware of the incident.
“The officers were there and responded immediately to defuse the situation,” they said.
“Investigations are currently ongoing to understand the exact circumstances.”
