BBC reporter 'arrested' by Chinese police at Shanghai protest but China says it's 'untrue'

MOMENT BBC reporter is 'arrested and detained' by Chinese riot police at an anti-lockdown protest in Shanghai - but China says it's 'untrue'.

Senior journalist Edward Lawrence was reporting on unrest in Shanghai city when security officers confronted and frogmarched away from the scene on November 27 evening.

Disturbing footage shows the cops pinning Lawrence to the ground and pulling his arms back. Another clip shows the police dragging him away as he shouted to another person to 'call the consulate now.'

In a statement, the British broadcaster said: 'The BBC is extremely concerned about the treatment of our journalist Ed Lawrence, who was arrested and handcuffed while covering the protests in Shanghai.

'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.

'It is very worrying that one of our journalists was attacked in this way whilst carrying out his duties. We have had no official explanation or apology from the Chinese authorities, beyond a claim by the officials who later released him that they had arrested him for his own good in case he caught Covid from the crowd.

'We do not consider this a credible explanation.'