BBC says Chinese police assaulted journalist covering protest

Police officers stand behind barricades and cordon at the site where a protest against COVID-19 curbs took place the night before, following the deadly Urumqi fire, in Shanghai, China November 27, 2022. REUTERS/Josh Horwitz/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - 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.