Latest news with #BenObese-Jecty
The Independent
20-03-2025
- The Independent
MP: Drill music celebration of criminality pushing knife crime into mainstream
The celebration of criminality by drill musicians is contributing to the 'toxic' culture which is pushing knife crime into the mainstream, the Commons heard. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty accused the press, including the BBC, the Times and the Guardian, of validating gangs' use of music and videos to promote stabbings and taunt their opponents. He also criticised the 'hypocrisy' of brands such as Adidas, who continue to use convicted criminals in its advertising, whilst also conducting campaigns against knife crime. The success of drill rappers who have criminal convictions could suggest to some there is no consequence for carrying a knife, the MP for Huntingdon said. Mr Obese-Jecty said young black men are over represented in knife crime statistics as both the victims and perpetrators, adding that 'soft bigotry of low expectations makes black culture ripe for exploitation, as a cheap way to appear edgy, irrespective of the upstream impact'. Speaking in the Commons, he said: 'Whilst drill music is a genre, it is also the medium by which various groups, come gangs are able to taunt their ops. The catalyst for multiple stabbings, often fatal. 'The line between gang and a group are blurred at points of irrelevance. Meanwhile, the media either doesn't know or doesn't care. 'Inner city black youths are, whether consciously or unconsciously, expendable and interchangeable, over represented in statistics as both victim and perpetrator. The soft bigotry of low expectations makes black culture ripe for exploitation as a cheap way to appear edgy, irrespective of the upstream impact. 'But media, large corporations, even the BBC, play their part in the creation of this milieu, leaning into it and giving it validation. 'The cynical valorisation of the most detrimental aspects of urban black culture and the celebration of criminality via musicians is one of the most toxic overarching influences on how we have pushed this issue into the mainstream. 'Irving Adjei, aka Headie One, went to prison three times as a teenager, amongst them for dealing crack cocaine and heroin. 'In June 2019, Adjei was arrested for possession of a knife following a stop and search. 'Whilst on bail, Adjei completed his UK tour, released his album, which reached number five in the UK charts, appeared on Stormzy's album Heavy Is The Head, played Glastonbury and was featured on BBC Radio One, was used in an advertising campaign alongside heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua for JD sports, and also fronted an advertising campaign for Adidas that December. 'That's the same Adidas who ran their No More Red knife crime awareness campaign alongside Arsenal FC just a couple of miles down the road, shortly after that, but are also happy to run an advertising campaign with a rapper on bail for possession of a knife. 'The hypocrisy of brands like Adidas is off the scale. 'Less than a month after launching this Adidas promo, Adjei was sentenced to six months with possession of that knife and went to prison for a fourth time. 'He was released that April. 'Six months later, his single is number two in the charts, and he's having praise lavished upon him by The Times newspaper, and he's never looked back. 'How does this convince anybody that there is … any penalty whatsoever for carrying a knife? 'If anything, it's been an asset for someone like him, the edginess I referred to earlier.' During the debate on knife crime, Mr Obese-Jecty criticised the Guardian for an article it wrote in 2019 about drill group OFB. OFB member Jayden O'Neil Crichlow is one of five people convicted of murdering 19-year-old Kamali Gabbidon-Lynck in Wood Green, north London, in February 2019. The MP said this occurred 300 metres from his home at the time, before saying: 'I challenged the author of the piece as to why it was appropriate to write a puff piece about a group that had one member on remand for murder. 'He cited that it was an editorial decision by the Guardian.' 'This is precisely the type of irresponsible media valorisation that illustrates my point,' he added. Another member of OFB, Kemani Duggan, the son of Mark Duggan who was shot dead by police in 2011, was jailed in 2024 for five years for having a gun. Labour MP Paulette Hamilton (Birmingham Erdington) said her nephew had been stabbed recently, turning her family's world 'upside down'. She said: 'My nephew, a kind-hearted, wonderful young man was brutally attacked in an act of senseless knife violence. His crime was being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. While his wounds are healing, it will take months for him to fully recover. The emotional trauma inflicted on him, and in our family however, is immeasurable. 'This is a pain no pain no family should ever have to endure.' Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson thanked MPs for their contributions and outlined the work being under taken by the Government to tackle knife crime. On the suggestion of rounded tips for kitchen knives, Dame Diana said: 'Nothing is off the table when it comes to tackling the scourge of knife crime and saving young lives. 'The Home Office is considering a proposal brought to us on rounded kitchen knives.'
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
Commons Speaker orders review after Big Ben clock tower security incident
A security review has been ordered by the Commons Speaker after a man scaled the clock tower housing Big Ben. Sir Lindsay Hoyle said he wanted to ensure 'lessons are learnt' following the incident, as he thanked those for helping to resolve it safely. Daniel Day, of Palmerston Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, was charged with intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance and trespassing on a protected site. The 29-year-old man is accused of scaling Elizabeth Tower barefoot at around 7.20am on Saturday, and came down just after midnight on Sunday. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday afternoon and spoke to confirm his identity. No pleas were entered. Judge Annabel Pilling decided to remand Day into custody until his next court appearance on March 17. Day allegedly spent more than 16 hours barefoot and holding a Palestine flag while perched on the clock tower of Big Ben, before being lifted to the ground in a cherry picker. Opening business in the Commons on Monday, Sir Lindsay said: 'The safety and security of all those who work on and visit the parliamentary estate is my top priority. 'I've asked for a review to be undertaken of Saturday's incident. I will ensure lessons are learnt from it. 'I want to thank all those who were involved in helping to ensure Saturday's incident was resolved safely. An individual has been charged.' In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday evening, the man told negotiators from the ledge he was sat on that he would come down 'on his own terms'. In the footage, negotiators on an aerial ladder platform appear to raise concerns about an injury to his foot, saying there is 'quite a lot of blood' and that his clothes were not warm enough as temperatures dropped after sunset. Every day in Parliament I see dozens of armed police officers patrolling Portcullis House and the Parliamentary estate. Where were they today? On Monday there needs to be a full explanation to MPs and staff as to how this protestor was able to evade security so easily. — Ben Obese-Jecty MP (@BenObeseJecty) March 8, 2025 But he insisted he was safe, saying: 'I will come down on my own terms, I have said this. But right now I am saying I am safe. 'If you come towards me you are putting me in danger and I will climb higher.' In the afternoon, shouts of 'Free Palestine' and 'You are a hero' could be heard from a small group of supporters behind the police cordon at Victoria Embankment. Videos posted to social media on Saturday allegedly showed the man climbing over a security fence near the Houses of Parliament without being approached by security forces. In a post on X, Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty called for an explanation about how Day allegedly accessed the parliamentary estate. He said: 'Every day in Parliament I see dozens of armed police officers patrolling Portcullis House and the parliamentary estate. Where were they today? 'On Monday there needs to be a full explanation to MPs and staff as to how this protester was able to evade security so easily.' Parliamentary tours were cancelled in the wake of the incident.
Express Tribune
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Protester detained after 16-hour standoff on Big Ben with Palestinian flag
A protester who climbed London's iconic Elizabeth Tower, home to Big Ben, while waving a Palestinian flag, was arrested on Sunday after a tense 16-hour standoff that drew a major emergency response. The barefoot man began his ascent early Saturday, scaling the tower's stone facade as stunned onlookers gathered near the Houses of Parliament. Metropolitan Police said they received the first call at 7:24 a.m. (0724 GMT) and swiftly cordoned off the area, closing Westminster Bridge and halting parliamentary tours. Authorities deployed negotiators, while the London Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service arrived with specialised equipment, including a crane, to assist in the operation. Throughout the ordeal, the climber filmed his protest and shared videos online. 'If you come towards me, you are putting me in danger and I will climb higher,' he warned in one post. A visible bloodstain on the tower's stonework suggested he had sustained injuries while climbing barefoot. At various points, he wrapped a Palestinian keffiyeh around the structure and chanted, 'Free Palestine,' as a small group of supporters cheered from behind police barriers. After Big Ben struck midnight, the protester agreed to descend on his 'own terms' and was eventually lowered by a cherry picker before being taken into custody. The incident has raised concerns over security at one of Britain's most heavily guarded landmarks. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty questioned how the man had managed to climb the structure undetected. 'Where were the armed officers patrolling the estate?' he asked. A spokesperson for Parliament said security measures are regularly reviewed but declined to comment on specific protocols. The protest is the latest in a series of pro-Palestinian demonstrations that have taken place across the UK in recent months.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Man arrested after climbing Big Ben clock tower and staying there for 16 hours
A man has been arrested after spending more than 16 hours perched on the Elizabeth Tower. Holding a Palestinian flag and live-streaming his demonstration from above, the man stood on the tower of Big Ben barefoot, with blood by his feet yesterday (March 8). Police were called at 7.24am to reports of a man scaling the landmark and Bridge Street in Westminster was shut for the rest of the day as negotiations took place to bring him down safely. In a statement issued just after 1am, the Metropolitan Police said: 'The man has now been arrested. 'This has been a protracted incident due to the specifics of where the man was located and the need to ensure the safety of our officers, the individual and the wider public. 'We worked with other agencies including the London Fire Brigade and deployed specialist officers to bring this incident to a close as quickly as possible whilst minimising risk to life. 'We have been in close liaison with the Parliamentary Estate throughout and all roads have been reopened.' Emergency crews had been at the scene with dozens of uniformed police officers guarding the cordon which extended from Bridge Street to Westminster Bridge. In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday evening, the man told negotiators from the ledge he was sat on that he would come down 'on his own terms'. In the footage, negotiators on an aerial ladder platform appear to raise concerns about an injury to his foot, saying there is 'quite a lot of blood' and that his clothes were not warm enough as temperatures dropped after sunset. But the man insisted he was safe, saying: 'I will come down on my own terms, I have said this. But right now I am saying I am safe. 'If you come towards me you are putting me in danger and I will climb higher.' In the afternoon, shouts of 'Free Palestine' and 'You are a hero' could be heard from a small group of supporters behind the police cordon at Victoria Embankment. In videos posted on social media earlier on Saturday, the man appeared to climb over a fence surrounding the Houses of Parliament without any security guards approaching him. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty said on X there needs to be an explanation about how the man got into the parliamentary estate. He said: 'Every day in Parliament I see dozens of armed police officers patrolling Portcullis House and the parliamentary estate. Where were they today? 'On Monday there needs to be a full explanation to MPs and staff as to how this protester was able to evade security so easily.' Parliamentary tours, which happen on Saturdays when Parliament is sitting and on weekdays during the summer recess, were cancelled.
The Independent
09-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Man arrested after Big Ben clock tower incident
A man has been arrested after spending more than 16 hours barefoot and holding a Palestine flag while perched on the clock tower of Big Ben. The man scaled the Elizabeth Tower on Saturday morning and finally came down just after midnight on Sunday, with images from the scene showing the man being lifted to the ground in a cherry picker. In a statement issued just after 1am, the force said: 'The man has now been arrested. This has been a protracted incident due to the specifics of where the man was located and the need to ensure the safety of our officers, the individual and the wider public. 'We worked with other agencies including the London Fire Brigade and deployed specialist officers to bring this incident to a close as quickly as possible whilst minimising risk to life. 'We have been in close liaison with the Parliamentary Estate throughout and all roads have been reopened.' Emergency crews had been at the scene with dozens of uniformed police officers guarding the cordon which extended from Bridge Street to Westminster Bridge. Two aerial ladder platforms, an incident response unit ambulance, regular ambulances and two fire engines were also present late on Saturday. In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday evening, the man told negotiators from the ledge he was sat on that he would come down 'on his own terms'. In the footage, negotiators on an aerial ladder platform appear to raise concerns about an injury to his foot, saying there is 'quite a lot of blood' and that his clothes were not warm enough as temperatures dropped after sunset. But the man insisted he was safe, saying: 'I will come down on my own terms, I have said this. But right now I am saying I am safe. 'If you come towards me you are putting me in danger and I will climb higher.' In the afternoon, shouts of 'Free Palestine' and 'You are a hero' could be heard from a small group of supporters behind the police cordon at Victoria Embankment. In videos posted on social media earlier on Saturday, the man appeared to climb over a fence surrounding the Houses of Parliament without any security guards approaching him. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty said on X there needs to be an explanation about how the man got into the parliamentary estate. He said: 'Every day in Parliament I see dozens of armed police officers patrolling Portcullis House and the parliamentary estate. Where were they today? 'On Monday there needs to be a full explanation to MPs and staff as to how this protester was able to evade security so easily.' Parliamentary tours, which happen on Saturdays when Parliament is sitting and on weekdays during the summer recess, were cancelled.
