London police are investigating Chinese embassy guards for allegedly brandishing weapons at protestors, a controversy that has surfaced as a legal challenge against the planned construction of a new Chinese mega-embassy in east London gets underway in the High Court. The incident, which occurred in early July, prompted activists to renew calls for the UK government to reconsider its approval of the new embassy.
Scotland Yard confirmed that officers responded to reports of a protest outside the Chinese Embassy on Portland Place on July 3. Two protestors claimed that embassy staff pointed a Taser-like weapon at them. No injuries were reported, and no arrests have been made. Police are reviewing evidence, including video footage supplied by witnesses, which campaigners allege shows electroshock weapons sparking and crackling. These weapons are classified as illegal firearms in the UK.
"Having already refused to participate in the mega-embassy court case, we now learn that Beijing has armed its UK staff with prohibited weapons," said Luke de Pulford of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. "Evidence, if it were needed, that they do not care about our laws and procedures. How can we be expected to trust that they will abide by any of their mega-embassy agreements and conditions?"
Tenzin Rabga from Free Tibet stated, "Chinese embassy personnel threatening Tibetans with stun-batons during our candlelight vigil for Lobga Rangzen, the Tibetan activist who self-immolated in New York, is proof China's transnational repression reaches into the heart of Britain. This is concerning given the UK government's approval of the Chinese mega-embassy, which risks emboldening further intimidation of Tibetans and other dissidents here. I urge the Met Police to act, and call on the UK government to reconsider their decision on the mega-embassy and end China's repression in the UK once and for all."
High Court Challenge
The controversy coincides with a High Court legal challenge brought by local residents against the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's decision in January to grant planning permission for the new mega-embassy near the Tower of London. Lawyers representing residents of Royal Mint Court argue that the proposed blueprints, which include secret blacked-out rooms designated by the Chinese Communist Party as staff accommodation, pose significant fire risks. These concerns are compounded by the site's diplomatic inviolability, which could prevent UK emergency services from accessing the area in case of a fire without Chinese government permission.
Lord Banner KC, representing the claimants, told the court that "these are not issues over window frame colours or door frames, these are fundamental points of fire safety." The claimants also contend that the embassy's presence could increase the risk of terrorist attacks or the repression of protests, and that it could be used to enforce Chinese laws and target dissidents within the UK.
The High Court hearing is ongoing.