In a splendidly ironic turn, Ai Weiwei’s British visa is refused due to “criminal conviction.” This is a rare moment when authorities in the UK and in China suddenly have the same view of the man who until now could do no wrong in the eyes of Western media. Proof positive that bureaucracy is amazingly consistently mindless no matter where its in effect.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/uk-grants-ai-weiwei-6-month-visa-apologizes-for-mixup/ar-BBlgNoK
The UK has since apologized.