Plainclothes police and unidentified volunteers physically blocked foreign camera crews from filming and reporting on a demonstration and press conference by American Christians in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.
John Ray, China correspondent for Britain’s ITV, said as soon as reporters appeared at the protest by three Americans, plainclothes police — at least one flashing a badge — placed their bodies directly in front of cameras and journalists trying to record the event.
Ray said the ITV cameraman was physically pushed several times by police but not hurt; Ray did see another cameraman pushed to the ground during the commotion.
While the plainclothes officers used their bodies, several middle-aged people then opened umbrellas to block camera views; officers in turn filmed the journalists at the scene.”They stood right in front of us and swore at us,” said Ray. It was “total, absolute obstruction; utterly blatant.”