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Theatre owner Sir Cameron Mackintosh has criticised Prime Minister Boris Johnson after football fans scaled the walls of one of his theatres before England’s game against Italy.

Sir Cameron, who looks after a number of West End venues, said repair costs to the Wyndham’s Theatre, just off Leicester Square in central London, are thought to be in the “tens of thousands”.

In a letter to Mr Johnson, he wrote: “As was widely reported and condemned on social media, at approximately 5pm [on 11 July], around 50 people broke through fencing at Wyndham’s Theatre and climbed on to the delicate canopy of this 19th century, Grade II listed building in the heart of the West End.

“Despite similar incidents after the semi-final, the police appeared insufficiently resourced to deal with this vandalism and the danger posed to the trespassers, and it was only later that riot police finally arrived.

“No doubt, had England won the match – which we were all rooting for – the situation would have greatly worsened later in the evening. Significant damage was inflicted on the theatre, with repairs estimated in the tens of thousands, and the incident could easily have resulted in serious injury or fatality.”

Sir Cameron called the scenes a “grim metaphor” for how he feels they have been treated during the pandemic, saying the theatre industry has been left to “fend for itself”.

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He added that theatres have been denied direct financial help and that the isolation rules are “unworkable”.

The impresario – who is behind London iterations of Hamilton and Mary Poppins – goes on to ask the prime minister why theatres have only been allowed to open with a capacity of 50% or 1,000 and comply with “extensive” mitigations, yet “tens of thousands of people” were allowed to head to central London with “seemingly little to no crowd management”.

The theatre in question is due to open on 7 August with a production of Leopoldstadt.

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Car mobbed by England fans in London

Speaking to The Times, Sir Cameron said that COVID “caveats are causing us chaos”, revealing that during its first day of rehearsals for Hamilton this week, 15 cast members had to be sent home due to track and trace, while re-openings of Hairspray and Prince Of Egypt had to be postponed.

Football fans were gathered across central London on Sunday ahead of England’s game at Wembley Stadium, with some spotted scaling buses, cinemas and restaurants, as well as letting off flares and fireworks in Leicester Square.

This was despite efforts to enforce social distancing across the capital, as thousands arrived for the game.

Sunday’s match, which England lost on penalties to Italy, had an attendance of more than 60,000 and was part of the government’s pilot events scheme – despite theatres having their audiences capped.

In response to Sir Cameron’s criticisms, the Home Office directed Sky News to Priti Patel’s tweet from Monday, which said: “A huge thank you to every police officer who’s been working in Wembley & across the country throughout #EURO2020.

“You’re a credit to policing in this country & should be incredibly proud.

“I condemn the violent minority who assaulted you last night – these thugs aren’t true fans.”

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Laurence Fox arrested over ‘ULEZ conspiracy’ – and sacked by GB News

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Laurence Fox arrested over 'ULEZ conspiracy' - and sacked by GB News

Political activist Laurence Fox has been arrested on suspicion of conspiring to commit criminal damage to ULEZ cameras.

Separately, GB News said it had concluded internal investigations into the comments made by Fox about female journalist Ava Evans on Dan Wootton Tonight and had subsequently “ended its employment relationship” with the 45-year-old.

The channel said its internal investigation into Wootton continues, while another host, Calvin Robinson, has also been sacked.

Pic: ITV/Shutterstock
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Calvin Robinson has also been sacked by GB News. Pic: ITV/Shutterstock

Fox, who is the leader of the Reclaim Party, said in a social media video shared earlier on Wednesday that his home was being searched by police officers.

Just before 10.45am, the party posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “Live now @LozzaFox is having his house searched by the police.”

The post was accompanied by a video of Fox, sitting on his sofa addressing the camera, seemingly with police officers around him.

In the short clip, he says: “Look how many coppers there are around my house.” In another video of Fox at his house, also shared to X, he criticises moves to what he called a “surveillance state”.

Media watchdog Ofcom confirmed it had received almost 9,000 complaints about the GB News programme as details of Fox’s arrest emerged.

On Tuesday, Fox appeared in a video voicing his support for so-called ULEZ Blade Runners, who have been tearing down cameras.

“I encourage them to tear down every single camera there is,” he said in the clip, which he shared on social media. “I will be joining them to tear down cameras as well because I’m one of those people that puts my money where my mouth is… I will be out there with my angle grinder.

“I would encourage mass removal of the surveillance state… I would be happy to be arrested myself.”

In a statement confirming a suspect has been arrested, a police spokesperson said: “On Wednesday 4 October officers arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of conspiring to commit criminal damage to ULEZ cameras and encouraging or assisting offences to be committed.

“He was arrested in Stockwell and has been taken to a south London police station where he remains in custody.”

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Victoria Beckham reveals how time of David’s alleged affair with Rebecca Loos was ‘most unhappy I have ever been’

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Victoria Beckham reveals how time of David's alleged affair with Rebecca Loos was 'most unhappy I have ever been'

Victoria Beckham has spoken for the first time about her husband David’s alleged affair with his former personal assistant Rebecca Loos, saying: “It was the most unhappy I have ever been in my entire life.”

She describes the aftermath of the claims as the “hardest period” of her marriage to the former football star in a new Netflix documentary series which launches today.

In the four-part series, titled Beckham, the Spice Girl-turned-designer opens up about the alleged infidelity which is said to have happened in 2003 while he was playing for Real Madrid.

The couple, who married in 1999 and have four children, have always denied the claims.

Victoria and David Beckham
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Victoria and David Beckham at the premiere of Netflix’s documentary series

Mia Regan, from left, Romeo Beckham, Cruz Beckham, Harper Beckham, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the television programme 'Beckham' on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023 in London. (Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)
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(L-R) Mia Regan, Romeo Beckham, Cruz Beckham, Harper Beckham, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham

According to The Sun, in extracts of the documentary shared with the paper, Victoria tells of how the allegations impacted their relationship.

‘It was a nightmare’

“It was the hardest period because it felt like the world was against us,” she says.

“Here’s the thing – we were against each other if I’m being completely honest.

“You know, up until Madrid sometimes it felt like us against everybody else but we were together, we were connected, we had each other.

“But when we were in Spain, it didn’t really feel like we had each other either.

“And that’s sad. I can’t even begin to tell you how hard it was and how it affected me. It was a nightmare.

“It was an absolute circus – and everyone loves it when the circus comes to town, right? Unless you’re in it.”

Sandra Beckham, from left, David Beckham and Ted Beckham pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the television programme 'Beckham' on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023 in London. (Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)
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David Beckham with his parents Sandra and Ted

When the 49-year-old is asked if she “resented” her husband, she replies: “If I’m being totally honest, yes I did. It was the most unhappy I have ever been in my entire life.”

The woman the former England captain and Manchester United star was accused of having an affair with is not named in the documentary, according to the newspaper.

Read more:
World Cup red card left David ‘clinically depressed’ – Victoria
Beckham defends Qatar role despite LGBTQ+ rights criticism

David Beckham's former personal assistant Rebecca Loos
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David Beckham’s former personal assistant Rebecca Loos

David, 48, also addresses the allegations, saying: “There was some horrible stories which were difficult to deal with.

“It was the first time that me and Victoria had been put under that kind of pressure in our marriage.”

The pair were joined by their children at the documentary’s premiere in central London on Tuesday night.

They posed for pictures alongside their children – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper – as well as Romeo’s girlfriend Mia Regan and Brooklyn’s wife Nicola Peltz.

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Tupac Shakur’s brother asks for ‘accountability’ ahead of court appearance for alleged killer

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Tupac Shakur's brother asks for 'accountability' ahead of court appearance for alleged killer

On the junction of the Las Vegas strip where Tupac Shakur was shot dead in September 1996, only a graffiti-covered lamp post with some scrawls of “RIP Pac” and “Tupac Shakur, I love you,” hint at what unfolded here.  

Tupac was rap music’s brightest star when he was shot four times at point-blank range while being driven along one of the city’s busiest streets. He died a week later.

His fame has only increased in the years since and his death is the subject of dozens of books, films and songs.

Until this week, many people had given up believing that police would crack one of America’s great unsolved crimes. But today, in a courtroom just a few miles from where he was killed and 27 years later, a man will enter a plea, charged with Tupac’s murder.

Tupac during an interview in 1991. Pic: AP
Image:
Tupac during an interview in 1991. Pic: AP

It is a moment Tupac’s family feared they would never see. His brother, Mopreme Shakur, told Sky News: “I was shocked, surprised, and taken aback because it’s been so long.

“We haven’t heard anything in 27 years. My daughter is 27 years old, so any accountability is good at this point.”

The man arrested is Duane Davis, better known in rap circles by his street name Keefe D.

More on Tupac Shakur

He has long been known to investigators as one of four suspects identified early in the investigation. He isn’t the accused gunman but is described as the group’s ringleader by authorities.

In Nevada you can be charged with a crime, including murder, if you help someone commit the crime.

‘How far are they going to go?’

Mopreme believes others need to be held criminally accountable for his brother’s murder. “It would be a shame after all this time for them not to do this properly,” he says, “meaning that they look at all the connections to it and get the total justice that we want.

“There’s doubt in their sincerity. How far are they going to go? Are they going to go all the way and get all the accomplices? “

Read more:
The story of a rapper ‘meant for something great’

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Tupac suspect recalls night rapper died

Duane Davis is accused of being the “shot caller” by authorities and is alleged to have handed the gun used to kill Tupac to the shooter. As early as 1998, Davis bragged about being at the scene of the crime and wrote a memoir in which he stated he was in the car from where the bullets were fired.

Mopreme says he believes Tupac’s murder would not have gone unsolved for so long if he had been white. “Pac was a young black male,” he says, “and we have challenges in this country when it comes to equal justice.

“That’s just the nature of the beast, it’s just the nature of the beast in America. I’m realistic about that.”

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