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BBC journalist ‘beaten and kicked by police’ after covering anti-lockdown protests in Shanghai | World News



The BBC says one of its journalists was “beaten and kicked by the police” after covering the COVID-19 lockdown protests in Shanghai.

The company said Ed Lawrence was working as an “accredited journalist” when he was “assaulted, arrested and handcuffed”.

Footage on social media shows him being dragged to the ground in handcuffs, while in another video he is seen saying: “Call the consulate now.”

Mr Lawrence was arrested “for his own benefit” in the case he contracted the coronavirus from a crowd, the BBC said, according to officials.

The broadcaster added: “We do not consider this a credible explanation.”

A spokesman said: “The BBC is extremely concerned about the treatment of our journalist Ed Lawrence, who was arrested and handcuffed while covering the Shanghai protests.

“He was held for several hours before being released. During his arrest, he was beaten and kicked by the police.”

They added: “This happened while he was working as an accredited journalist.

“It’s disturbing that one of our journalists was attacked in this way while on duty.”

Mr. Lawrence has contacted the State Department.

Opponents of China’s strict COVID blockade have returned to the streets of Shanghai despite was forcibly removed by the police using pepper spray just a few hours ago.

In what Amnesty International described as a move of “remarkable courage”, opponents of the continued detention of millions of people – for weeks at a time – gathered in the same location.

Their anger was sparked by a fire in the city of Urumqi on Thursday killed at least 10 people.

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