Chinese diplomat rips down poster of Tiananmen Square at the UN

The iconic photo was included in an exhibit celebrating the 'dignity of every human life.'

The image that offended a Chinese diplomat who tore down the poster inside the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Our work reporting from 2MSP took an unexpected diversion today. In a stunning breach of protocol, a Chinese diplomat was spotted ripping down part of an exhibition by Italian disarmament organisation Senzatomica.

The exhibition at the United Nations building in New York included a two-meter-high board with the infamous photo of a Chinese man standing in front of a line of tanks, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, on June 5, 1989.  The purpose of the board was to raise awareness of the global need “for individuals worldwide to embrace a profound respect for the dignity of every human life”, using the imagery of iconic moments where individuals have stood up to oppressive regimes.

An image of the exhibition before the poster was damaged and after the panel was removed.

Spoiler Alert has spoken to an authoritative source who was unwilling to go on the record but confirmed that this took place and that the member state sponsoring the exhibition, Malta, has been informed of the damage to the exhibition.

Attendees at the UN nuclear ban treaty meeting, who often conduct business inside UN complexes tell Spoiler Alert that they have never heard of such behavior by a diplomat.

Watch this space for more on this story tomorrow.