Poet who performed at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wedding strip searched by police
A renowned poet George Mpanga and friend to Prince Harry condemned the police for aggressively strip-searching him without cause.
Known as George the Poet, the 27-year-old is furious saying the police “handled like a second-class citizen” after a performance and “made up lies” in order to justify handcuffing him and searching the artist.
—LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers agree to a four year deal worth $154M—
The Daily Mail reports that he wrote online: “I don’t like sharing images of me being handled like a second-class citizen by public servants whose salaries we pay taxes for.
“But these images should be an education for anyone who doesn’t understand the toxic energies that are quietly spread throughout our community by state actors. Imagine if my nephews woke up and saw their big famous uncle getting handled like this. What seeds would that sow in them?”
A video of the confrontation shows the police asking Mpanga for ID to which he replied: “Look me up in Wikipedia.”
Mpanga took issue with the traffic stop, and lashed out online:
“Out of nowhere they cuffed me and searched my car for weapons.’ He said he had just arrived home after a gig and added that he doesn’t mention police in his performances because ‘I’m sick of talking about them’ and ‘they will never change”
He continued “But to be cuffed and dragged around in front of my parents while they make up lies about me being aggressive and having weapons… It’s a reminder that we don’t fight on our own terms, we fight on theirs.”
—89-year-old denied use of gas station bathroom has to pee in grass instead—
Police scanned Mpanga’s license plate and claim that it was uninsured. When their records proved to be inaccurate they released Mpanga 20 minutes later.
A police spokesman said “The man’s behavior provided grounds for officers to search him.”
Mpanga become a celebrated throughout the country and earned the respect and friendship of Prince Harry who invited him to perform one of his poems at the Royal Wedding.
The Metropolitan Police said the search was justified because there had been “high gang activity” in north London.
