A video showing the moment a group of people waving Chinese flags demand a pianist to stop filming during a light-hearted performance has sparked fury. YouTuber Brendan Kavanagh posted a video on his DrKBoogieWoogie channel showing him tinkling the ivories at London’s St Pancras International station as busy commuters ferried past.
But as the clip rolls a number of people waving Chinese flags can be seen in the background who eventually come over to the musician and tell him he is “not allowed” to film.
A bemused Mr Kavanagh debates why he should have to stop fliming pointing out to the group of males and females, who say they are filming for Chinese TV, that “in the UK it’s a free country”.
In one exchange he says: “We are in Great Britain, we are not in China.”
Mr Kavanagh asks if he will get in trouble with the Chinese government for filming to which a woman who is telling him to stop filimg replies, “maybe not”.
One man with the group also asks the musician to stop filming before adding they do “love his music” but demands he not film them. In a heated moment one of the group, who will not say if they are from China, shouts at Mr Kavanagh.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police can be seen discussing the incident with Mr Kavanagh but by the end of the video on his YouTube channel the musician has resumed playing the piano.
Reacting to how the Chinese flag carriers responded to Mr Kavanagh playing the piano, one person on the social media site X wrote: “If you go to a country, you respect that countries (sic) rules. If it’s legal to film, it’s legal to film.”
Another person asked: “How can someone be asked to stop filming in a public place? If you have any issues, just move away. Arrogant ladies.”
Pointing out the phyiscal situation, someone else noted: “They have the right to move their bodies with their own free will, piano is stationary.”
