Police intervene as a man is pulled at the gate of the Chinese consulate in Manchester, northwest England, following a protest on Sunday. Photo: Matthew Leung/The Chaser News
The British government has summoned a Chinese diplomat to answer questions about Sunday's violent attack on a pro-democracy Hong Kong protester on the Chinese consulate grounds in Manchester, a British foreign office minister said Tuesday.
Driving the news: A "small group of men" came out of the building during Sunday's "peaceful protest" and "dragged" the man onto the consulate grounds and assaulted him, according to British police investigating the incident.
- The man, who was among a group 30 to 40 people protesting outside the consulate, "suffered several physical injuries and remained in hospital overnight for treatment," police said.
- The attack, which was captured on video by the BBC, caused an uproar on social media and drew swift condemnation from British politicians and human rights groups.
What they're saying: "Peaceful protest, as this house has always recognized, is a fundamental part of British society and our way of life," foreign office minister Jesse Norman said in a parliamentary session.
- He added that British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has issued a summons to the Chinese chargé d’affaires at the Chinese Embassy in London, to "express his Majesty's government's deep concern of the incident and to demand an explanation for the actions of the consulate staff."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a press conference that "disturbing elements illegally entered the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester and endangered the security of Chinese diplomatic premises," per Reuters. Witness statements and video footage contradict Wang's claim.