Chinese police barred artist Ai Weiwei from a hearing on his company’s lawsuit against Beijing tax authorities and blocked filming at the courthouse on Wednesday. Chinese authorities detained Ai for three months last year and his design company was ordered to pay 15 million yuan (US $2.4 million) in back taxes and fines. The company has appealed the fine and separately filed a suit against the tax bureau for allegedly violating laws in handling witnesses, evidence and company accounts in the case. The suit, brought by Ai’s Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd., was due to be heard Wednesday.—AP