Mark Stone and cameraman, Andy Portch, were held for not displaying passes as they filmed in Tiananmen Square
Sky News correspondent Mark Stone has been detained by Chinese police while filming in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
Stone and his cameraman, Andy Portch, were filming live on air when they were approached by a police officer on Friday morning who asked to stop filming in the square.
The pair broadcast live from the back of the police van as they were taken to a nearby station. It is not clear whether they have been formally arrested.
Stone told Sky News viewers on his way to the police station: "This is just a little insight really into the way reporting works in China.
"Most of the time things are fine and for most of the day no problems at all, but then every now and then this happens.
"The police have been entirely civil with us, but they are detaining us nonetheless."
Stone added that police told the Sky News team that they were not displaying their passes correctly and that Stone was not carrying his passport, as he is required to do.
A report on the Sky News website said the pair had received permission to film in the square, where they were reporting on China's leadership transition.
A spokeswoman for Sky News said the broadcaster was attempting to get to the bottom of what happened. "We expect them to be released shortly," she added.
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Sky News correspondent Mark Stone has been detained by Chinese police while filming in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
Stone and his cameraman, Andy Portch, were filming live on air when they were approached by a police officer on Friday morning who asked to stop filming in the square.
The pair broadcast live from the back of the police van as they were taken to a nearby station. It is not clear whether they have been formally arrested.
Stone told Sky News viewers on his way to the police station: "This is just a little insight really into the way reporting works in China.
"Most of the time things are fine and for most of the day no problems at all, but then every now and then this happens.
"The police have been entirely civil with us, but they are detaining us nonetheless."
Stone added that police told the Sky News team that they were not displaying their passes correctly and that Stone was not carrying his passport, as he is required to do.
A report on the Sky News website said the pair had received permission to film in the square, where they were reporting on China's leadership transition.
A spokeswoman for Sky News said the broadcaster was attempting to get to the bottom of what happened. "We expect them to be released shortly," she added.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@guardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook. Reported by guardian.co.uk 9 hours ago.