London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Arrest of teenage girl outside UK consulate in Hong Kong triggers legal row 

Arrest of teenage girl outside UK consulate in Hong Kong triggers legal row 

Alegal row has broken out after a teenage girl was arrested outside the UK’s Consulate General in central Hong Kong, in what activists claim was a breach of British diplomatic territory.
The arrest took place on Saturday when riot officers searched demonstrators on a paved area in front of the Consulate where people have camped out in a peaceful human rights protest for close to 60 days. Reports suggest that the teenager was found to have a can of spray paint.

In a statement, the police said that they “responded to an incident at Supreme Court Road reported by a consular staff. Upon police arrival and investigation, one female (aged 15) was arrested outside a consulate in Admiralty for the offence of ‘Criminal Damage’.”

However, human rights groups allege that officers were potentially in breach of diplomatic norms, using site plans to back their claims that the pavement was technically British territory.

“I urge the British government to issue an urgent statement both in defence of the right to peaceful protest and its own boundaries and diplomatic protocols,” said Benedict Rogers, chairman of Hong Kong Watch, urging diplomats to monitor the girl’s case.

“It seems clear from the primary documents that this was inviolable UK land, and that the police should not have been operating there at all, except at the invitation of the Consul General,” added Luke de Pulford, who sites on the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission.

But Eunice Yung Hoi-yan, a barrister and politician with the pro-Beijing New People’s Party, told the South China Morning Post that the police action was legitimate as “the lease specified that the British consulate is the owner of the area, but it has authorised the public to use it.”

When asked to clarify the situation, a Foreign and Commonwealth Spokesperson said: “We are aware of police attending a long running protest outside the Consulate-General in Hong Kong today.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×