Beijing investigates protest around US ambassador's car

China said it was investigating an incident in which about 50 protesters surrounded the car of US Ambassador Gary Locke, tried to block him from entering the embassy compound and ripped the car’s flag. Chinese police cleared roadblocks and some Japanese businesses reopened after days of large, sometimes violent protests in many cities over Japan’s recent purchase of the Diaoyu Islands also claimed by Beijing.

Reading Time:3 minutes

Published: 8:34am, 20 Sep 2012Updated: 4:13am, 29 Aug 2013

China said it was investigating an incident in which about 50 protesters surrounded the car of US Ambassador Gary Locke, tried to block him from entering the embassy compound and ripped the car’s flag.

Chinese police cleared roadblocks and some Japanese businesses reopened after days of large, sometimes violent protests in many cities over Japan’s recent purchase of the Diaoyu Islands also claimed by Beijing.

In Beijing, the bitterness spilled over from the Japanese embassy to the nearby US embassy.

Locke told reporters on Wednesday that Chinese authorities were “very quick” to move the demonstrators away. Video posted on YouTube showed a small number of protesters throwing small objects at the car before Chinese security forces moved in to break up the crowd.

“It was all over in a matter of minutes, and I never felt in any danger,” Locke said.

The US, a close ally of Japan, has said it is staying out of the dispute over the islands.

The incident came amid heightened vigilance for American diplomats following violent attacks on US embassies in Libya, Yemen and Egypt. The embassy said it has asked China’s government to do everything possible to protect American facilities and personnel.