China: Foreign media told to avoid protests

Police are stepping up pressure on foreign reporters to stay away from spots designated for demonstrations inspired by the Middle East uprisings, or risk being expelled. Appeals have been posted online for the past two weeks urging people to join protests every Sunday.

So far the appeals have attracted few demonstrators but large numbers of onlookers, journalists and police. Staff from various news agencies have been told that reporters trying to film or interview near the proposed demonstration spots in Beijing or Shanghai this weekend will be punished.