Posted BY: Jim Hoft
Shanghai police officers pummeled and kicked BBC News reporter Edward Lawrence during a protest on Sunday against the government’s COVID policies.
I’m at the scene of last night’s extraordinary anti Covid-zero protest in Shanghai. Many people are gathered here quietly watching. Lots of cops. Two girls laid flowers which were promptly removed by police. One man drove past with middle finger up at police. #shanghai
— Edward Lawrence (@EP_Lawrence) November 27, 2022
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One man has just approached me to say his flowers were confiscated by police. As he tells me this, two cops come over to listen to our conversation.
— Edward Lawrence (@EP_Lawrence) November 27, 2022
I’m told by friends that police have blocked the roads around this area and they’re not letting people through.
— Edward Lawrence (@EP_Lawrence) November 27, 2022
Here is a photo of Lawrence after his arrest.
Be safe pic.twitter.com/GdM1UvitTD
— Adeole ❤️🇺🇦👍 (@adeole) November 27, 2022
Reuters reported:
The BBC said on Sunday that Chinese police assaulted and detained one of its journalists covering a protest in Shanghai, before later releasing him after several hours.
“The BBC is extremely concerned about the treatment of our journalist Ed Lawrence, who was arrested and handcuffed while covering the protests in Shanghai,” a spokesperson for the British public service broadcaster said in a statement.
“He was held for several hours before being released. During his arrest, he was beaten and kicked by the police. This happened while he was working as an accredited journalist,” the spokesperson added.
Shanghai is one of a number of Chinese cities that has seen protests over stringent COVID restrictions, which flared in recent days following a deadly fire in the country’s far west.
