Manchester Chinese consulate protest: Thugs who attacked pro-democracy campaigner inside consulate must be expelled from UK – Scotsman comment

Extraordinary scenes at the Chinese consulate in Manchester, in which a pro-democracy protester was allegedly dragged inside the grounds and assaulted, represent an outrageous and unacceptable affront to democratic values.

Police try to pull a Hong Kong pro-democracy protester out of the grounds of the Chinese consulate in Manchester (Picture: Matthew Leung/The Chaser News/AFP via Getty Images)

During a small demonstration, a group of people from within the consulate, some wearing police riot helmets, came outside and began to tear down banners, including what was later described by Chinese officials as an “insulting portrait” of President Xi Jinping.

As the protesters tried to stop them, a scuffle developed and a pro-democracy campaigner from Hong Kong ended up inside the consulate’s grounds where he appeared to be violently attacked by several people.

“They dragged me inside, they beat me up,” the man, whose face was bruised, told the BBC. “It’s ridiculous. They [the attackers] shouldn’t have done that. We are supposed to have freedom to say whatever we want here.” He added that police had pulled him from the consulate’s grounds to safety.

A consulate spokesperson was defiant, saying the protest would be “intolerable and unacceptable for any diplomatic and consular missions of any country”.

Such violent oppression of dissent may be commonplace in China, but the UK Government must send a message to Beijing that it will not be tolerated here. The thugs responsible for the violence should be expelled forthwith and the Chinese ambassador must issue a public apology.

And far from facing any disciplinary action, the officer who entered the consulate’s grounds – a breach of diplomatic rules – should be praised for making a snap decision that saved the protester from whatever fate he would have faced had the attack been allowed to continue.