Beijing (CNN) -- The Chinese authorities are investigating an incident in which dozens of angry protesters surrounded the car of U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke in a Beijing street, some throwing objects at the vehicle before security forces intervened to protect it. The United States has expressed concern to China about the unusual disturbance on Tuesday, which comes at a sensitive time for American diplomats following the death of Ambassador Christopher Stevens in an attack in Libya last week. The harassment of Locke's black Cadillac took place as anti-Japanese demonstrators marched in numerous Chinese cities amid tensions between the two Asian countries over a disputed group of islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
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The U.S. says it has expressed concern to the Chinese authorities
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China says it is investigating what it describes as an "isolated case"
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About 50 protesters gathered around the car, some throwing objects
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The incident took place amid anti-Japanese protests in China
China declared the purchase illegal and has sent patrol vessels into the waters around the islands, drawing protest from the @placeholder government.