Yvette Tan & Simon Fraser - BBC News
Tue, October 18, 2022
One of China's most senior UK diplomats was involved in violence against protesters at the Manchester consulate on Sunday, a British MP says.
"What we saw was the Chinese consul-general then ripping down posters and peaceful protest," Alicia Kearns told MPs in the House of Commons.
MPs in Parliament have privilege, allowing them to speak freely without fear of legal action.
China has not commented on Zheng Xiyuan's alleged involvement.
But the foreign ministry in Beijing defended the actions of consulate staff.
A protester is pulled at the gate of the consulate on Sunday - the consul-general is alleged to be in a mask and hat (far left)
Spokesman Wang Wenbin said people had "illegally entered" the grounds and any country's diplomats would have taken "necessary measures" to protect their premises.
But the official Chinese version is at odds with video footage and statements from police. Officers had to drag back a protester from inside the consulate gate as he was being attacked.
After Consul-General Zheng Xiyuan ripped down the placards, Ms Kearns told MPs, there was "grievous bodily harm against a Hongkonger, one of whom was hospitalised for taking part in a peaceful protest.
"Some were then dragged onto consulate territory for a further beating by officials who have been recognised to be members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
"We cannot allow the CCP to import their beating of protesters, their silencing of free speech and their failure to allow time and time again protests on British soil. This is a chilling escalation."
According to a statement by the Greater Manchester Police, around 30 to 40 people had gathered outside the consulate to protest.
"Shortly before 4pm a small group of men came out of the building and a man was dragged into the consulate grounds and assaulted," the statement said.
"Due to our fears for the safety of the man, officers intervened and removed the victim from the consulate grounds."
The consulate is UK territory, but cannot be entered without consent.
Another MP, Labour's Afzal Khan - who represents the constituency where the consulate is, Manchester Gorton - told the House of Commons he was "sickened" by the scenes.
"The UK stands for freedom, the rule of law, and democracy," said the Labour MP. "The quashing of peaceful protests will never be tolerated on British soil."
Mr Khan and other MPs called for the consul-general to be declared a "persona non grata" - meaning a person who is unwelcome in the country.
As a diplomat, the consul-general has diplomatic immunity, meaning he is theory protected from prosecution. Declaring someone "persona non grata" can remove diplomatic status and potentially result in expulsion.
Conservative MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith asked if the government would "be prepared to expel the consul-general and any of those that are found to have been part of that punishment beating and the vandalism?"
Foreign Office minister Jesse Norman said "we will take action once we have a full understanding of the facts". He added the government had issued a summons to the Chinese charge d'affaires in London - the Chinese ambassador's deputy - for an explanation.
Mr Norman told the House of Commons: "We've already outlined a process of raising this formally with the Chinese embassy... and we will see where these procedures, these legal and prosecutorial procedures, may lead to, and at that point we will take further action."
Some MPs called for the Foreign Office to go further, including Labour's Andrew Gwynne who said: "Had these incidents happened on the streets of Hong Kong, there would have been outrage from the British government, rightly so.
"They happened on the streets of Manchester and yet we have this situation where the minister is basically sending a memo to the Chinese embassy, an offer of a cup of tea and a chat with the ambassador."
Zheng Xiyuan on the right, and the man accused of being involved in the violence on the left
Senior Chinese diplomat involved in 'chilling' violence at consulate, MP says
Daniel Capurro
Tue, October 18, 2022
A scuffle between a Hong Kong pro-democracy protester and Chinese consulate staff, as a British police officer attempts to intervene - MATTHEW LEUNG /AFP
One of China’s most senior diplomats has been accused of attacking protesters in clashes that led to an anti-Beijing demonstrator being dragged onto consulate property and beaten.
Alicia Kearns, a Conservative Party MP, told parliament that Zheng Xiyuan, the consul-general took part in violence on Sunday against Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters outside the Chinese consulate in Manchester.
“What we saw was the Chinese consul-general then ripping down posters and peaceful protest,” the newly elected head of the foreign affairs select committee said in the House of Commons.
Video footage of the incident showed staff from the consulate exit out on the road, tear down anti-Beijing posters and scuffle with protesters before dragging one of them into the consulate compound and beating him.
A local police officer then entered the compound to drag the protester back out.
A man is pulled at the gate of the Chinese consulate in Manchester after a demonstration against China's President Xi Jinping - MATTHEW LEUNG/THE CHASER NEWS /via REUTERS
The Telegraph spoke to the man, who went only by the name Bob to protect his identity, on Monday. He said he didn’t recognise Mr Zheng at the time of the incident but did so afterwards when he was shown photographs.
He called for Mr Zheng and other diplomats involved to be expelled from Britain and banned from returning. Bob, who went to hospital after the beating, fled Hong Kong in 2021, having been beaten by police for taking part in pro-democracy protests.
Ms Kearns said in the Commons: "Some [protesters were] dragged onto consulate territory for a further beating by officials who have been recognised to be members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
"We cannot allow the CCP to import their beating of protesters, their silencing of free speech and their failure to allow time and time again protests on British soil. This is a chilling escalation."
Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative Party leader, asked if the Government would be willing to expel Mr Zheng and others.
Jesse Norman, a Foreign Office minister, said that the Chinese charge d’affaires had been summoned to explain the incident.
“We will see where these procedures, these legal and prosecutorial procedures, may lead to, and at that point, we will take further action," he said.
A Chinese spokesperson told the BBC that the protesters in Manchester had "illegally entered" the consulate grounds and that the diplomats took "necessary measures" to protect it.
However, video footage of the incident appears to directly contradict this claim.
Greater Manchester Police 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," the statement said.
"Due to our fears for the safety of the man, officers intervened and removed the victim from the consulate grounds."
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I was dragged into China consulate, protester Bob Chen says
George Bowden - BBC News
Wed, October 19, 2022
Bob Chan speaks to the media on Wednesday
A protester says he was not trying to enter Manchester's Chinese consulate during a pro-democracy demonstration that saw violent scenes on Sunday.
Bob Chen told a news conference he was dragged onto the consulate grounds and beaten by men, leaving him with injuries requiring hospital treatment.
It comes a day after a British MP accused one of China's most senior UK diplomats of being involved.
Amid the growing row, China has claimed there were attempts at illegal entry.
Speaking at a news conference organised by several British MPs, Mr Chen, a Hongkonger, said he was left physically and mentally hurt by Sunday's incident.
He described being beaten by masked men outside the consulate, some of whom he said were trying to take down a display of banners.
"I then found myself being dragged into the grounds of the consulate. I held on to the gates where I was kicked and punched, I could not hold on for long," he said.
"I was eventually pulled onto the ground of the consulate. I felt punches and kicks from several men. Other protestors were trying to get me out of this situation, but to no avail.
"The attack only stopped when a man who turned out to be a uniformed officer from the Greater Manchester Police pulled me outside the gates.
"Let me say it again so I am clear: I was dragged into the consulate I did not attempt to enter the consulate."
Police in Manchester have said up to 40 protesters gathered outside the consulate - a smaller diplomatic office that is UK territory but cannot be entered without consent.
At about 16:00 BST, Greater Manchester Police said a 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," a statement said.
Mr Chen spoke of his shock at the incident and told of his fear for family members still in Hong Kong.
"I am shocked because I never thought something like this could happen in the UK. I still believe the UK is a place where free speech and protest are basic human rights.
"No amount of violence or diplomatic pressure will change that. I am hurt physically and mentally," he said.
The demonstrators - many of whom were from Hong Kong - were protesting as the ruling Communist Party congress began in Beijing.
A spokesperson for the consulate said the protesters had "hung an insulting portrait of the Chinese president at the main entrance".
Beijing later claimed its consulate staff were subjected to harassment and said there were attempts to enter the consulate grounds.
China has "made representations" to the UK government to increase protection for its diplomatic staff.
Meanwhile, the senior Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith criticised the UK government's diplomatic response to the incident so far.
He told the news conference it had been "wholly inadequate... and I think I'm being slightly kind to them".
Mr Duncan Smith described Foreign Office Minister Jesse Norman as having to be "dragged" to the despatch box in Parliament to respond to the situation.
He said a meeting between the UK and a Chinese official about Sunday's incident resulted in "a gentle rap on the knuckles".
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said earlier the incident was "absolutely unacceptable, that the protests were peaceful and legal. They were on British soil and it is absolutely unacceptable for this kind of behaviour".
"Now, 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," he told Sky News.
Last year, a new visa system gave about 70% of Hong Kong's population the right to live, work and study in the UK with a route to citizenship.
More than 100,000 people have arrived on the new visas, as Beijing's influence over the former British colony increases and following the introduction of a controversial national security law.
George Bowden - BBC News
Wed, October 19, 2022
Bob Chan speaks to the media on Wednesday
A protester says he was not trying to enter Manchester's Chinese consulate during a pro-democracy demonstration that saw violent scenes on Sunday.
Bob Chen told a news conference he was dragged onto the consulate grounds and beaten by men, leaving him with injuries requiring hospital treatment.
It comes a day after a British MP accused one of China's most senior UK diplomats of being involved.
Amid the growing row, China has claimed there were attempts at illegal entry.
Speaking at a news conference organised by several British MPs, Mr Chen, a Hongkonger, said he was left physically and mentally hurt by Sunday's incident.
He described being beaten by masked men outside the consulate, some of whom he said were trying to take down a display of banners.
"I then found myself being dragged into the grounds of the consulate. I held on to the gates where I was kicked and punched, I could not hold on for long," he said.
"I was eventually pulled onto the ground of the consulate. I felt punches and kicks from several men. Other protestors were trying to get me out of this situation, but to no avail.
"The attack only stopped when a man who turned out to be a uniformed officer from the Greater Manchester Police pulled me outside the gates.
"Let me say it again so I am clear: I was dragged into the consulate I did not attempt to enter the consulate."
Police in Manchester have said up to 40 protesters gathered outside the consulate - a smaller diplomatic office that is UK territory but cannot be entered without consent.
At about 16:00 BST, Greater Manchester Police said a 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," a statement said.
Mr Chen spoke of his shock at the incident and told of his fear for family members still in Hong Kong.
"I am shocked because I never thought something like this could happen in the UK. I still believe the UK is a place where free speech and protest are basic human rights.
"No amount of violence or diplomatic pressure will change that. I am hurt physically and mentally," he said.
The demonstrators - many of whom were from Hong Kong - were protesting as the ruling Communist Party congress began in Beijing.
A spokesperson for the consulate said the protesters had "hung an insulting portrait of the Chinese president at the main entrance".
Beijing later claimed its consulate staff were subjected to harassment and said there were attempts to enter the consulate grounds.
China has "made representations" to the UK government to increase protection for its diplomatic staff.
Meanwhile, the senior Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith criticised the UK government's diplomatic response to the incident so far.
He told the news conference it had been "wholly inadequate... and I think I'm being slightly kind to them".
Mr Duncan Smith described Foreign Office Minister Jesse Norman as having to be "dragged" to the despatch box in Parliament to respond to the situation.
He said a meeting between the UK and a Chinese official about Sunday's incident resulted in "a gentle rap on the knuckles".
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said earlier the incident was "absolutely unacceptable, that the protests were peaceful and legal. They were on British soil and it is absolutely unacceptable for this kind of behaviour".
"Now, 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," he told Sky News.
Last year, a new visa system gave about 70% of Hong Kong's population the right to live, work and study in the UK with a route to citizenship.
More than 100,000 people have arrived on the new visas, as Beijing's influence over the former British colony increases and following the introduction of a controversial national security law.
An incident that could impact UK-China relations
Analysis box by Caroline Hawley, diplomatic correspondent
After the extraordinary scenes at the Chinese consulate on Sunday, MPs from across the political divide are now pushing for the UK government to take a much tougher stance against Beijing.
The Manchester MP, Afzal Khan of Labour, said the actions of the diplomats had "crossed a red line".
Conservative Ian Duncan-Smith said they revealed the long arm of the Chinese state. He expressed concern that the UK government was being cautious in its response for fear of provoking a "tit-for-tat" from a country with such strong economic clout.
The two agreed - as did Bob Chen - that Britain should expel the men involved, even if prosecutions aren't possible because the attack happened on what is officially Chinese territory.
Greater Manchester Police have appealed to anyone with video evidence to upload it to their website, as they look at images from CCTV, mobile phones and officers' body cameras - part of a "complex and sensitive inquiry".
Sensitive it certainly is - with the impact it could have on relations between Britain and China.
The force says the investigation will "take time", but many MPs says a quick and forceful message needs to be sent to China, as soon as the diplomats involved are identified.
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