Chinese diplomat defends grabbing Hong Kong protester’s hair in Manchester

Consul-general said it was his ‘duty’ to protect his staff, leader, and country but denied attacking protester

The Chinese consul-general has denied claims that he attacked a pro-democracy Hong Kong protester in an incident in Manchester.

Footage appears to show diplomat Zheng Xiyuan had pulled Bob Chan over to the grounds of the Chinese consulate, in Rusholme, by his hair.

It’s alleged that – when on the consulate’s grounds – staff then beat Mr Chan, leaving him with cuts and bruises on his body, during the incident on Sunday.

Mr Chan was part of a group outside China’s consulate protesting against the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.

A group of unidentified men wearing face masks came out of the building and began tearing down posters and scuffled with the demonstrators who tried to stop them. Police intervened by pulling the men apart.

But, as Mr Chan was pulled onto the grounds of the consulate, police had limited powers.

Zheng Xiyuan pulling Bob Chan onto the grounds of the consulate by his hair (The Chaser News/AFP via Getty Images)

Mr Zheng denied that he had hit Mr Chan saying: “I didn’t beat anybody. I didn’t let my people beat anybody. The fact is, the so-called protesters beat my people.”

But when asked if he had pulled Mr Chan’s hair, he told Sky News: “He was abusing my country, my leader. I think it’s my duty.”

Mr Zheng added: “I think it’s an emergency situation – that guy threatened my colleague’s life, and we tried to control the situation. I wanted to separate him from my colleagues – that’s a very critical point.”

He said that the “rude banners” were the reason why the peaceful demonstration had turned violent.

In a letter sent to Greater Manchester Police, he said the banners featured a “volume of deeply offensive imagery and slogans” – including a picture of the Chinese president Xi Jinping with a noose around his neck.

Bob Chan fled Hong Kong for the UK earlier this year (PA Wire)

Mr Zheng also claimed that one of the protesters grabbed a member of his staff “by the neck and refused to let go”.

“I was under attack by the protesters and my colleagues were under attack and at that time, we didn’t receive any protection from the policeman, so we had to do something to protect ourselves,” Mr Zheng wrote.

He added some of his staff were injured during the incident, with video footage showing a man allegedly from the consulate being kicked by protesters while on the floor.

“It’s a very serious harassment for me, the consulate and China,” he also said in the letter.

Mr Chan with Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith days after the incident (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Later, he told Sky News: “I think the most serious reason for this incident is because they used very rude banners. They used very rude words, unacceptable. Everybody never accepts these kinds of words.

“It’s not right to put such banners close to my gate. After I advised them to remove very politely, they refused.”

Prior to the clashes, the consulate staff had reportedly asked the protesters to move to the opposite side of the street, but they refused.

Mr Chan, the alleged victim, had fled Hong Kong to the UK in March. He said that he thought he was going to die during the “unprovoked attack”.

He said: “I held onto the gate where I was kicked and punched. I could not hold on for long and was eventually pulled into the grounds of the consulate. I’m shocked and hurt by this unprovoked attack.

“I’m shocked because I never thought something like this could happen in the UK.”