英國廣播公司（BBC）記者勞倫斯27日在上海採訪抗議活動期間，遭當地警方毆打並拘留，經歷數小時後才獲釋放，勞倫斯被捕扭送的過程，更被圍觀群眾拍下上傳推特。

路透社報導，BBC記者勞倫斯（Ed Lawrence）27日晚間採訪上海市烏魯木齊中路的民眾「白紙」解封維權抗議活動時，突遭多名警察上銬拘捕。BBC發言人表示：「公司極度關切勞倫斯所受到的對待，他是在進行記者工作時遭逮捕並且上銬。」發言人強調：「他被羈押數小時後才獲釋。」並且事後官方也沒有給予可信的解釋或者道歉。

BBC指出，唯一得到的回應竟然是釋放勞倫斯的官員聲稱：「逮捕他是『為了他好』，以防他在人群中被傳染新冠肺炎病毒。」

據推特流出的影片，勞倫斯被捕時，拼命向同行夥伴高喊「快打電話給領事館」。中國網友質疑，當地警察這種隨機抓人，又抓的是外國人，是不是就扣好「境外勢力」的帽子了？

Witnessed a BBC journalist got sieged and dragged to the ground by several cops in Shanghai earlier tonight on the Urumqi Rd. His friend said he was targeted becuz he was filming the protest. (feel free to @ his handle if you know who this journalist is ) @BBCNews @BBCNewsAsia pic.twitter.com/tPgoPET3hg

— Shanghaishanghai (@Shanghaishang10) November 27, 2022

The BBC stated that "the officials who later released him [said] that they had arrested him for his down good in case he caught Covid from the crowd. We do not consider this a credible explanation."https://t.co/gWdsqslFBE

— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) November 28, 2022

BBC Statement on Ed Lawrence pic.twitter.com/wedDetCtpF

— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) November 27, 2022