China’s foreign minister has denied that any foreign reporters were beat by police while covering possible protests called by anonymous Internet postings.
For the third Sunday in a row, Chinese police swamped a downtown Beijing shopping street listed as one of several rally locations by organizers calling for “stroll by” afternoon protests against China’s communist government.
Like last Sunday, it was not known whether any people strolling on the street had answered the call for a silent protest, and it appeared that fewer security forces were on the scene.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities tightened restrictions on reporting by foreign journalists to prevent coverage of the protests.
The vice director of Beijing’s Foreign Affairs Office, Li Honghai, said Sunday that reporters must now apply for government permission to gather news within central Beijing.
Yang Jiechi told a news conference Monday during China’s annual legislature session that no foreign reporters were beat by police while covering the protests calls the last three Sundays. No protests materialized although there were swarms of police and reporters.
On Feb. 27 at least one reporter was attacked by unidentified men while trying to report from a Beijing shopping street. Others had their equipment confiscated and footage erased by police.