Attempting to Leave Beijing, Artist Ai Weiwei Detained by Chinese Officials, His Whereabouts Unknown

Last week we posted that artist/activist Ai Weiwei had announced that he was planning to leave his native China, following a tumultuous couple of years that included beatings by government officials and the destruction of his new studio in Shanghai. His goal was to temporarily set up shop in Berlin, but like last December when he tried to travel to South Korea, he only made it as far as the airport. The Guardian reports that Weiwei was detained at Beijing’s airport by officials, was whisked away to an unknown location, his studio has been searched and his wife and assistants briefly detained and questioned.