Beijing police have roughed up and detained a British journalist and stolen his equipment, their worst breach of promise and international standards yet during the Olympics:

“John Ray, of Independent Television News, said he was pinned down by police, dragged along the ground and pushed into a police van.

He said the authorities had also confiscated his equipment, pulled off his shoes, filmed him and accused him of trying to unfurl a Tibetan flag.

After his release some 30 minutes later, he said he was shaken but unharmed…

Ray said he had fallen behind the main group, tussled with park guards and was then set upon by a four or five uniformed police. They pushed him to the ground, dragging him off to a nearby restaurant as he shouted: “I am a British journalist” to startled diners.

‘My accreditation was in my pocket, but they wouldn’t let me get it out to show them,’ he said after being released.”