St Pancras piano ‘sealed off’ after conflict between pianist and vacationers
- Piano donated to station by Sir Elton John sealed off ‘as a consequence of upkeep work’
The piano at London‘s St Pancras station has been sealed off and is allegedly being guarded after a conflict between a pianist and Chinese vacationers.
Brendan Kavanagh, who additionally goes by the identify Dr Ok, sparked a row after he shared video exhibiting the second the Chinese vacationers advised him to cease filming.
The musician was then accused of touching one of many ladies – an allegation he strongly denies – and even two British Transport Police officers bought concerned, who advised Mr Kavanagh to not add the clip to YouTube.
Now St Pancras station has ‘cordoned off the piano and put two guards on both facet’, the pianist revealed in the present day after the confrontation on Friday, January 19, went viral.
He stated in a video: ‘The piano is now cordoned off and there is two guards standing by. You cannot make these things up.’
The piano, which was donated to the station by legendary musician Sir Elton John and sports activities his signature on prime, is sealed off ‘as a consequence of upkeep work happening’, a spokesperson for the station advised the Express.
Last night time, Mr Kavanagh slammed the police intervention in a TalkTV interview and blasted the Chinese group’s ‘ludicrous’ calls for.
The piano, which was donated to the station by legendary musician Sir Elton John and sports activities his signature on prime, is sealed off (pictured) ‘as a consequence of upkeep work happening’, in accordance with the station
Brendan Kavanagh taking part in boogie-woogie songs on the piano in London St Pancras station
However, one of many ladies concerned in the present day accused Dr Ok of upsetting them by referring to them as Japanese as an alternative of Chinese, taking part in a ‘discriminatory’ track and continuously telling them ‘we stay in Britain, not in China‘.
The lady additionally claimed they’d been ready to play the piano themselves for a Chinese New Year greetings video they have been planning to movie within the station.
She claimed the group requested Dr Ok to cease filming them after they realised he was livestreaming, including: ‘We stored ready for over 40 minutes. He nonetheless performed the piano for a very long time.
‘When I approached him his assistant stored filming and this was once I realised he was in all probability a content material creator filming movies. But I did not know he was stay streaming on the time.
‘So I requested can he delete his video as a result of our content material in the present day is non-disclosable. It cannot be made public prematurely. He stored asking me questions and I actually did not know methods to reply.’
Police officers later approached Dr Ok and warned him to not put the video on his YouTube channel. But Kavanagh interrupted and stated: ‘Listen, we’re in Britain, we’re in a public area, it is a free nation.’
A girl (pictured) who stated she was working for Chinese TV requested him to cease filming them
One of two cops advised the pianist ‘this isn’t to go in your channel’ as Mr Kavanagh stored on filming after the officers intervened.
The different officer advised the Chinese vacationer who had shouted at Mr Kavanagh that he had the suitable to movie as a result of he was in a public place.
‘I used to be so glad I really had it filmed as a result of if I narrated this folks would not consider me, however the truth that it was on a livestream… It was utterly spontaneous and now the world has seen it,’ he added.
Before the officers arrived, the state of affairs escalated from the group asking him politely to cease filming to shouted calls for as Mr Kavanagh was accused of ‘making an attempt to the touch’ one of many feminine vacationers after he seemingly pointed to the Chinese flag she was holding. He denied the accusation.
They insisted that they have been having fun with his music however would ‘put authorized motion into it’ as a result of they’d an settlement with others to not be proven on-line as they claimed they have been ‘defending our personal picture proper’.
He responds saying that they only have to ‘stroll away’ if they do not need to be on digicam.
A male member of the group, who was probably the most vocal in his complaints towards being filmed, instantly began screaming: ‘Why are you touching her? Stop touching her. Don’t contact her.’
Mr Kavanagh had touched the woman’s pennant as he seemed for example that she was holding a Chinese flag.
He added: ‘You will not be the identical age, don’t contact her.’ The lady intervened and stated: ‘Don’t shoot him, do not shoot him. What’s the issue?’
Dr Ok advised the group: ‘We are in Great Britain, we’re not in China’
Mr Kavanagh on TalkTV final night time
Mr Kavanagh, who additionally goes by Dr Ok, was seemingly confused after being shouted at and defended himself by saying he solely touched the flag.
The piano participant repeatedly pointed to the small pink flags with 5 yellow stars, which he claimed have been communist flags.
One of the vacationers stated that Mr Kavanagh ought to ‘educate’ himself, because the flag shouldn’t be a flag for the communist celebration – which might painting a yellow hammer and sickle as an alternative of the 5 stars.
The lady the pianist allegedly touched – one thing he denies doing – stated she was ‘right here to have fun the brand new yr’ and did not need to be filmed doing so.
The pair repeatedly accused Mr Kavanagh of not ‘respecting their proper’ by filming them, however the piano participant once more identified that he’s allowed to movie them as there isn’t any expectation of privateness in a public place within the UK.
When the cops approached, one vacationer stated to the male officer that Mr Kavanagh filmed them they usually requested him to take away the footage, however he refused.
‘You’re in a public place,’ the policeman defined repeatedly – till the feminine officer chimed in and stated to the cameraperson: ‘Excuse me, if we’re having a police matter, you should put that cellphone down.’
Mr Kavanagh then addressed his viewers because the officers took the vacationers apart.
He stated: ‘The Chinese communist celebration advised us to not movie right here.’
Afterwards, the policewoman warned him: ‘This is to not go in your channel by the best way, that is me speaking to you.’ But Mr Kavanagh interrupted and stated: ‘Listen, we’re in Britain, we’re in a public area, it is a free nation.’
The officer added: ‘The matter is, they are saying you have been making communist feedback at them,’ however Mr Kavanagh denied this and added that he solely stated they have been waving communists flags.
One of two cops (pictured behind the pianist), who have been strolling by and stopped because of the loud argument, advised the pianist ‘this isn’t to go in your channel’ as Mr Kavanagh stored on filming after the officers intervened
One of the vacationers shouted at Dr Ok after he was accused of touching one of many ladies – an allegation the piano blogger strongly denies
She additionally requested him concerning the allegation that he tried to the touch one of many vacationers, which the pianist denied. He stated: ‘I used to be not making an attempt to the touch her, that is why I’ve a digicam.’
‘They [the tourists] have requested that the video the place they method will get deleted and isn’t used in your channel […] They work for an organization and their faces can’t be proven on TV or on someone’s channel,’ she advised Mr Kavanagh.
Eventually the vacationers and cops moved one, leaving Mr Kavanagh to complete his livestream with extra boogie woogie songs after declaring: ‘Free speech prevails.’
Mr Kavanagh stated on TalkTV final night time that throughout the interplay with the vacationers, it was ‘all about what I could not do and what they might do’.
A spokesperson for British Transport Police stated: ‘We are conscious of a video circulating on social media of a disagreement in St Pancras railway station on Friday 19 January. Officers on patrol got here throughout the incident and the state of affairs was deescalated.’
