A British journalist has been arrested and "beaten" in China during mass protests against restrictive Covid measures.
Ed Lawrence, a senior journalist and camera operator for the BBC ’s China Bureau, was detained by authorities on Sunday while covering a demonstration in Shanghai, a spokesperson for the broadcaster said.
The corporation said they were "extremely concerned" after discovering he had been "held for several hours before being released", adding that he had been "beaten and kicked by the police" while working as an accredited journalist.
Mr Lawrence tweeted on Monday to confirm he had been released, adding that he believed "at least one local national" was also arrested after trying to stop the police from hitting him.
Demonstrations have continued in Beijing and Shanghai as police launched a crackdown following a weekend of dissent in a number of major cities.
A silent protest saw people hold aloft blank sheets of paper and flowers in Shanghai on Sunday, while further smaller incidents were reported in the capital.
Shanghai police had used pepper spray on Saturday night against about 300 protesters after large crowds of people held aloft protest signs and began chanting anti-lockdown slogans.
Some protesters were even shown in videos shouting for President Xi Jingping or the governing party to step down.
It comes as a rare act of defiance against the ruling Communist Party in nation where criticism of the state can be heavily punished.
People had gathered in Shanghai to mourn the deaths of at least 10 people who died in a fire at a block of flats last week.
It is claimed fences erected to prevent the spread of Covid had prevented people leaving the building during the incident, which unfolded in Urumqi in the northwest Xinjiang region.
Xi's government has faced mounting anger at its “zero-Covid” policy, which has seen entire neighbourhoods and public facilities locked down in an attempt to isolate every single case of the virus.
The harsh measures come despite most other countries relaxing or scrapping their pandemic policies since the beginning of the year.
Observers say live images of football fans congregating without any facemasks or restrictions at the World Cup have also prompted renewed questions over the need for such tough measures in China.
Maskless footage of fans has now reportedly been cut from broadcasts within the nation.
