Houston Cops Put on Desk Duty After Chinese Diplomat Beating

Three Houston Police officers have been placed on desk duty pending the outcome of an investigation into the arrest and injury of a Chinese diplomat in Houston, according to a statement by Houston Mayor Annise Parker Thursday night.

As CBS News reported Wednesday, Houston Deputy Consular Boren Yu, 53, was driving in Houston Saturday night when a marked Houston Police car attempted to pull him over for a missing license plate.

Yu did not slow down and the officers pursued him into the garage of the Chinese Consulate in Houston where they arrested and cuffed him. Yu sustained injuries to his head and neck during the arrest and was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital by ambulance.

Mayor Parker also said in her statement Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland would be "issuing a directive that all beat officers receive the addresses of every consulate in the city." The police officers involved in the incident claim they didn't know they were in the Chinese Consulate when they arrested Yu, but CBS News has learned Yu allegedly told the police officer they didn't belong on Consulate grounds before being arrested.

Like embassies, consulate grounds are considered to be sovereign territory of the country to which the consulate belongs.

On Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged an investigation into the incident.

"Protecting the safety of all foreign diplomatic and consular staff in the United States is essential," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a statement, "We'll firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of China's diplomatic and consular staff overseas."

A source tells CBS News the U.S. State Department has been in contact with the Houston Police Department, and that the Houston PD is reviewing the incident and has requested a meeting with Chinese Consul General in Houston. The Chinese Consulate in Houston had no comment on the matter, and would not confirm or deny a meeting has been arranged.