Click here to see the video.

It is understood a group of protesters had organized a peaceful protest outside of the consulate in response to the 20th National Congress of Chinese Communist Party being held.

Video footage online showed heated exchanges involving the Hong Kong protesters, with their banners ripped down as people in the crowds shout “get back” and “get off” as one protester is dragged beyond the gates by unidentified men coming out of the consulate with officers attempting to break up the chaos.

Speaking after the incident, the protester, called Bob, told BBC Chinese that "mainlanders" - people from mainland China - had come out of the consulate and destroyed their posters.

"As we tried to stop them, they dragged me inside, they beat me up," he said, adding that he was then pulled out by the police.

"It's ridiculous. They shouldn't have done that. We are supposed to have freedom to say whatever we want here [in the UK]."

According to a BBC reporter at the scene, he said consulate staff had previously asked the protesters to move to the opposite side of the street.

A freelance journalist on the scene also said that the man who was beaten had cuts to his face afterwards.

As the scuffle erupted, police officers swarmed the area trying to diffuse the situation, one police officer also entered the consulate grounds and pulled the man who had been dragged inside and seemingly beaten up back out.

At least eight men - some of whom were wearing helmets and protective vests - then returned to the consulate building.

Commenting on the incident, a consulate spokesman said protesters had displayed an insulting portrait of China's president Xi Jinping.

"This would be intolerable and unacceptable for any diplomatic and consular missions of any country. Therefore, we condemn this deplorable act with strong indignation and firm opposition," the spokesman said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters in Beijing on Monday that he wasn't aware of the situation, but that Chinese missions acted in accordance with international diplomatic agreements.

"Chinese embassies and consulates in the UK have always abided by the laws of their country of residence, and we also hope that the British side will facilitate the normal performance of duties of Chinese embassies and consulates."

"Greater Manchester Police are aware of an incident that took place at around 3pm on Sunday 16 October 2022 at the Chinese Consulate in Manchester," a police spokesperson told Reuters in a written response.

"Officers were present and responded immediately to diffuse the situation," they said, adding that enquiries are ongoing at this time to understand the full circumstances.

A statement from a local business group, the Trafford Hongkongers CIC, online said: "We express our deep concern on an incident in Manchester today (16th October 2022). We believe Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and our Foreign Secretary James Cleverly MP must inquire with the Chinese Consulate why it could happen in Manchester today.

"Any brute force and violence to peaceful protesters are not tolerable. Our thoughts are with those Hongkonger protesters in Manchester." The group wrote.

MP Iain Duncan Smith, former leader of the Conservative Party, was among those sharing the footage on Sunday night, calling the incident “deeply worrying” and called on the UK government to “demand an apology” from the Chinese Ambassador to the UK.

Alicia Kearns, a lawmaker in the ruling Conservative Party and the new head of parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Twitter: "Chinese Ambassador should be summoned & if any official has beaten protesters, they must be expelled or prosecuted."