(MENAFN) The United Kingdom arrested a top Chinese diplomat in response to violence during a pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong outside the Chinese consulate in Manchester, when a man appeared to be dragged inside the consulate grounds and attacked.

The event, which occurred at a protest against Chinese President Xi Jinping, is being investigated by British police. Greater Manchester Police officers entered the embassy grounds to rescue a guy who had been "dragged" inside and attacked by numerous individuals.

“We have serious concerns about the footage that we have seen showing an incident at the Chinese Consulate-General,” according to the foreign office minister Zac Goldsmith.

“Today we have made our view clear to the Chinese authorities: the right to peaceful protest in the UK must be respected,” he noted.

Because China's ambassador is presently not in the country, Charge d'Affaires Yang Xiaoguang was summoned to the foreign ministry to explain the situation. He spoke with a foreign office officer, who told him that all diplomats and consular personnel in the UK must follow UK rules and regulations.

Earlier, Wang Wenbin, a Chinese foreign ministry official, blamed the incident on the demonstrators.

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