China Covid: BBC journalist detained by police during protests

Chinese constabulary bushed a BBC writer successful Shanghai and concisely arrested him portion helium was covering anti-government lockdown protests gripping the nation.

Ed Lawrence was detained astatine the main protestation successful the metropolis connected Sunday, and held for respective hours earlier being freed.

"It is precise worrying that 1 of our journalists was attacked successful this mode whilst carrying retired his duties," the BBC said.

China's authorities said Mr Lawrence hadn't presented his property credentials.

He had been filming the crowds astatine the nation's largest protestation successful Shanghai astatine Wulumuqi Middle Road connected Sunday. Footage shared wide connected societal media showed respective constabulary officers grabbing Mr Lawrence and pinning him to the ground. The BBC said helium was beaten and kicked by constabulary officers, and past taken distant successful handcuffs.

The broadcaster said the attraction of its writer was "extremely concerning".

In a statement, it said it had not received an authoritative mentation oregon apology from China, "beyond a assertion by the officials who aboriginal released him that they had arrested him for his ain bully successful lawsuit helium caught Covid from the crowd".

"We bash not see this a credible explanation."

At a regular property league connected Monday, China's overseas ministry spokesperson did not code the constabulary unit and apprehension of an accredited overseas journalist.

"Based connected what we learned from applicable Shanghai authorities, helium did not place himself arsenic a writer and didn't voluntarily contiguous his property credentials," spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.

Protests against the Chinese authorities and its Covid lockdown policies person erupted crossed a fig of cities aft a deadly occurrence successful the occidental portion of Xinjiang killed 10 radical past week.

Many judge residents couldn't flight the blaze successful a locked-down flat operation successful the metropolis of Urumqi due to the fact that of Covid restrictions. Local authorities person disputed this.

Public choler implicit the calamity - conscionable the latest successful a bid of disasters blamed connected Covid restrictions - escalated into thoroughfare protests crossed respective Chinese cities.

The Chinese authorities has not acknowledged the protests oregon responded successful immoderate ceremonial way. However quality of the protests has dispersed rapidly done Chinese societal media contempt dense censorship.

The UK authorities condemned the Chinese constabulary detention of Ed Lawrence, with a curate saying it was "unacceptable" and "concerning".

"Whatever other happens, state of the property should beryllium sacrosanct," Business Secretary Grant Schapps told LBC Radio.