The piano located at St Pancras Station in London has been cordoned off and reportedly placed under guard following a confrontation between a pianist, Brendan Kavanagh (also known as Dr K), and Chinese tourists.
The incident unfolded when Kavanagh shared a video capturing the moment the tourists objected to being filmed.
As the video unfolds, a group of individuals waving Chinese flags appears in the background. They approach the musician and assert that he is “not allowed” to film.
Allegations arose that Kavanagh had touched one of the women, a claim he vehemently refutes.
British Transport Police officers intervened, instructing Kavanagh not to upload the video to YouTube.
Following the widely publicised confrontation on Friday, at St Pancras station, Kavanagh disclosed that the station has taken measures by cordoning off the piano and assigning two guards to monitor it.
In a video statement, Kavanagh expressed incredulity, stating: “The piano is now cordoned off, and there’s two guards standing by. You can’t make this stuff up.”
Speaking to Express.co.uk Mr Kavanagh said his video had encapsulated a clash of cultures for many people. Mr Kavanagh joked: “It’s almost created a diplomatic incident.
“It’s caught people’s imagination because I think it has so many contemporary and cultural issues that people are concerned about.
“If you watch the video they are constantly talking about ‘their rights’, and constantly telling me what I am not allowed to do.
“I think a lot of people have got really angry with that. If the roles were reversed and I was over in China waving around Union Jacks and telling Chinese people what they couldn’t do, would that have been appropriate?”
The piano, which was donated to the station by legendary musician Sir Elton John and sports his signature on top, is sealed off “due to maintenance work taking place”.
Last night, Mr Kavanagh strongly criticised the police intervention in a TalkTV interview and condemned the “ludicrous” demands of the Chinese group.
However, one of the women involved has accused Dr K of provoking them by incorrectly referring to them as Japanese instead of Chinese, playing a “discriminatory” song, and consistently emphasizing that “we live in Britain, not in China.”
