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Mark Stone and cameraman, Andy Portch, were held for not displaying passes as they filmed in Tiananmen Square

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Sky News correspondent Mark Stone was 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 them 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 and Portch were released shortly before 1pm UK time after over three hours in police custody.

According to a Sky News spokeswoman, police told the pair they were detained because they were not properly displaying their press accreditation badges.

The journalists have returned to the Beijing bureau where they are preparing a film on the incident to run on the Sky News bulletin at 5pm.

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.

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