Vietnam's state-controlled media on Friday accused an American diplomat of creating a public disturbance following reports he was roughed up by Vietnamese police for attempting to visit a prominent dissident.

The U.S. has filed a strong protest over the incident, which happened Wednesday in the central city of Hue, calling it a matter of grave concern.

The Thanh Nien newspaper, one of Vietnam's most popular, quoted witnesses as saying political officer Christian Marchant shouted curses in English and Vietnamese, shoved a local official and punched another person in the face.

An American official in Washington said Marchant was attempting to visit Catholic priest Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly, a pro-democracy dissident, in a prearranged meeting when he was roughed up and a car door was repeatedly slammed on his legs.

U.S.-funded Radio Free Asia reported that Marchant was wrestled to the ground, put into a police car and driven away. He has since been released.