A protester who was allegedly assaulted in the Chinese consulate in Manchester has said he was 'shocked' that the incident took place on British soil. Speaking at a press conference in Westminster on Wednesday (October 19), Bob Chan said he was 'hurt' by the alleged incident as he reiterated his claims that he 'did not attempt' to enter the consulate and was 'dragged' into the grounds.
Officers attended the incident, outside the Chinese Consulate in Manchester, on Sunday afternoon (October 16). Police said an investigation was underway after reports a man was 'dragged into the consulate grounds and assaulted'.
The man was 'removed' from the grounds by police over 'fears for his safety' and was later treated in hospital, the force said. GMP is still investigating the alleged assault inside the consulate grounds and, in an update issued on Wednesday afternoon, say that no arrests have been made so far.
READ MORE Chinese consulate violence: No arrests made as detectives give update on 'complex' investigation
At a press conference organised by a number of British MPs on Wednesday, Mr Chan denied claims he was trying to enter the consulate grounds in the pro-democracy protest and described being beaten outside of the consulate by men, some of which he claimed were trying to take down banners.
He said: “I am shocked and hurt by this unprovoked attack. I am shocked because I never thought something like this could have happened in the UK.
"I then found myself being dragged into the grounds of the consulate. I held onto the gates where I was kicked and punched, I could not hold on for long.
"I was eventually pulled onto the ground of the consulate. I felt punches and kicks from several men. Other protestors were trying to get me out of this situation, but to no avail.
"The attack only stopped when a man who turned out to be a uniformed officer from the Greater Manchester Police pulled me outside the gates. Let me say it again so I am clear: I was dragged into the consulate I did not attempt to enter the consulate."
Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith hit out at the Government’s 'wholly inadequate' response, arguing they should have called in the ambassador for questioning immediately. “The truth is they had to be dragged to the despatch box,” the MP said.
“We had to put an urgent question down to get them there.”
Sir Iain Duncan Smith hit out at the Treasury for encouraging successive Governments to take a soft stance on China. The former Tory leader claimed the Treasury was 'very resistant to any kind of change', but said the 'message is getting home to the Government'.
“We have to push them harder. This is a wake-up call for them that we have got to go further and harder.”
The Chinese consulate in Manchester previously claimed a 'mob' of protesters had 'stormed' its grounds after 'deeply offensive imagery and slogans' they described as 'threatening and insulting' were displayed. The consulate also claimed two members of its own staff were assaulted in the violence that followed.
One of China's most senior diplomats, consul-general Zheng Xiyuan, confirmed in an interview with the Manchester Evening News that he went outside and got caught up in the violence, but wasn't injured. He's on the video footage, sent to the MEN by the Chinese consulate and shown above, within which the red circles depict what the Chinese consulate claim is their staff being attacked.
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