Itn To Complain Over Beijing Fracas

Broadcaster ITN is to file a complaint with the Chinese authorities following the detention of journalist John Ray as he reported from a pro-Tibet protest at the Beijing Games.

ITN has stated that it will complain in the ‘strongest possible terms’ over the incident which saw Ray sustain minor injuries following his detention.

Ray has filed his report on the incident stating that he was set upon by four or five officers, pinned down by police, dragged along the ground, then pushed into a police van and detained for about 20 minutes.

The ITN journalist, who is China correspondent for ITV News, added that his press accreditation was in his pocket but the authorities would not allow him to access it during the fracas.

Ray said the authorities had also confiscated his equipment, pulled off his shoes, filmed him and accused him of trying to unfurl a Tibetan flag.

A spokesman for ITN stated: ‘John Ray is a fully accredited China correspondent who was doing his legitimate job as a journalist. We intend to protest in the strongest possible terms to the Chinese authorities and seek assurances that the treatment meted out to Mr Ray will not be repeated.’

The incident occurred when eight activists from Students for a Free Tibet, including a British passport holder, gathered less than half a mile from the main Bird’s Nest stadium and tried to unfurl a Tibetan Snow Lion flag.

Chinese authorities said demonstrators were breaking the law and were not protesting in designated areas.

The Chinese government recently apologised for two incidents of harassment of foreign reporters, including the beating of two Japanese journalists trying to cover the deadly upsurge of unrest in Xinjiang last week.