The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has today announced he will visit Bournemouth in Dorset next week to condemn a provoking theatre piece on police corruption that focuses on the recent verdict on the Mark Duggan case, in addition to several other crimes 

investigated by the Metropolitan Police. He will appear at the Conservative-run Council Offices at 12:00 midday on Thursday 10th April. 

 

Speaking at City Hall, Mr Johnson said "it is unacceptable that students, educated at some of the best universities in this country, are producing work that is designed to irritate and anger people. The Metropolitan Police Force carry out some of the toughest jobs to keep our capital safe, and this is not how the men and women of the Force should be portrayed". He also sent his support to the family of Mark Duggan, one of the high profile cases that features most prominently in the piece.  

 

David Goodwin, aide to Mr Johnson, said "The Mayor was contacted several times to invite him to the performance, however when he discovered the context of the planned performance, he condemned it outright".

 

​This intervention from the Mayor's office is not the first example of Mr Johnson taking action to support the City that he loves. In April 2012, he banned advertisements on London buses promoting the idea that gay people can be “cured". 

 

The university in question is the Arts University in Bournemouth (formerly the Arts University College until 2011). Advertised as 'one of the UK's leading creative universities'

following the Government funding cuts and rise in tuition fees, Mr Johnson warned of his fears that "students have been allowed to act without reasonable constraint".

 

Speaking of his visit next week, the Mayor said "I'm all for creativity as much as the next man, but not if it comes at the price of bringing one of the nation's best police forces into disrepute".

 

 

 

For media and press enquiries, please contact Karen Ford (press@london.gov.uk).

This statement is held under copyright by the Greater London Authority.

 

 

Telephone: 020 7983 4100      

Minicom: 020 7983 4458

Fax: 020 7983 4057A

 

Mayor of London

Greater London Authority

City Hall

The Queen's Walk

London

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