UPDATE - UK summons Chinese ambassador over reports of arrest, alleged beating of BBC journalist

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT BY CHINESE GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON; CHANGES HEADLINE, BYLINE, DATELINE

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal and Merve Berker

LONDON/ ANKARA (AA) – The British Foreign Office has summoned China’s ambassador to London, Zheng Zeguang, amid a diplomatic row sparked by the arrest and alleged beating of a BBC journalist in Shanghai during a protest, according to a government source.

Edward Lawrence was detained at the main COVID-19 lockdown protest in Shanghai on Sunday and held for several hours before being freed, according to a report by the BBC.

The broadcaster said that cameraman Lawrence was “handcuffed” while covering demonstrations and was then “beaten and kicked” by police.

“The BBC has been clear one of their journalists was detained and beaten by police when covering these protests. We have made it clear this behavior by the Chinese authorities is completely unacceptable,” said a source at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

"It is very worrying that one of our journalists was attacked in this way whilst carrying out his duties,” the BBC said.

China accused the UK of “usual hypocrisy and double standards” over its comment on what happened in Shanghai.

“If the UK gov respects media freedom and freedom to protest then why did it obstruct and assault the Chinese journalist when she was just asking questions and expressing her legitimate views at a side event of the UK Conservative Party’s annual conference and later even claim her guilty?” questioned Hua Chunying, spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry.

“That’s hypocrisy and double standards. Period,” she said on Twitter.

Hua claimed that the BBC journalist did not show his credentials and ignored requests by the Chinese police during the protest.

The UK government on Monday condemned the treatment of Lawrence as “shocking and unacceptable.”

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly wrote on Twitter: “Media freedom and freedom to protest must be respected. No country is exempt. The arrest of BBC journalist EP Lawrence in China is deeply disturbing. Journalists must be able to do their job without intimidation.”