BBC journalist Ed Lawrence arrested while covering Shanghai’s anti-lockdown protests Sunday night.
From The Daily Caller:
Thousands of people in the country have begun protesting against the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) zero-COVID policy, which Lawrence was apparently covering when the arrest occurred, the BBC reported. Chinese authorities claimed Lawrence “did not identify himself as a journalist and did not voluntarily present his press credentials,” according to the outlet. “The BBC is extremely concerned about the treatment of our journalist Ed Lawrence, who was arrested and handcuffed while covering the protests in Shanghai,” the BBC said in a statement posted to Twitter. “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 outlet has not received a credible official explanation for Lawrence’s detention, according to the BBC. Lawrence has reportedly since been released. Clips of the arrest shared by the BBC clearly show Lawrence being arrested while yelling “Call the consulate now.” No specific information has been given on what led to his arrest, but there is “considerable concern” given the physical beating he received from police throughout his arrest, CNN reported.
