Chinese consulate staff in UK attack Hong Kong protesters

中國駐英國領事館工作人員襲擊香港抗議者

British officials calling for investigation and saying China has no right to quash free speech in UK


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — There was chaos in Manchester at the Chinese consulate on Sunday (Oct. 16) when a Hong Kong pro-democracy protestor was dragged into the compound and allegedly beaten up.

The protest coincided with the opening of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, at which Xi Jinping (習近平) declared the “chaos” of Hong Kong was over. According to the BBC there have been anti-CCP protests elsewhere, but no further details were provided.

The fracas was sparked by the protestors displaying what a consulate spokesperson described as an “insulting portrait” of Xi. Consulate General of the People's Republic of China staff in Manchester destroyed the posters and dragged an individual into the compound and attacked him before he was rescued by the police.

"It's ridiculous,” said the individual named as “Bob” by the BBC. “They shouldn't have done that. We are supposed to have freedom to say whatever we want here,” in the U.K.

A Voice of America commentary said the protestors were from the “Front for the Defence of Hong Kong People.”

Bob told VOA, “After I was pulled in, I was punched and kicked. I had scars on my face, bleeding and swelling. Hair was pulled from my head, swollen and bruised. I had bruises on my neck and back, and my waist was a little sore."

The new Chair of the British Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns, said on Twitter the Chinese had no right to quell free speech in the U.K. and demanded an investigation.