Shanghai Protest: UK condemns China police for assaulting BBC journalist

British Business Minister Grant Shapps said on Monday that there was no excuse for journalists covering protests to be beaten by police.

News Agency of Nigeria • November 28, 2022

British Business Minister Grant Shapps said on Monday that there was no excuse for journalists covering protests to be beaten by police.

“There can be absolutely no excuse whatsoever for journalists who are simply covering the protests going on to be beaten by the police. I know that’s a considerable concern,” Mr Shapps told Sky News.

Mr Shapps said this after the BBC on Sunday alleged that Chinese police had assaulted and detained one of its journalists in Shanghai.

“The BBC is extremely concerned about the treatment of our journalist Ed Lawrence, who was arrested and handcuffed while covering the protests in Shanghai,” BBC said in a statement on Sunday.

It added, “He was held for several hours before being released. During his arrest, he was beaten and kicked by the police. This happened while he was working as an accredited journalist.”

Shanghai is one of several Chinese cities that have seen protests over stringent COVID-19 restrictions, which flared in recent days following a deadly fire in the country’s far west.

(Reuters/NAN)

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