George the Poet is strip-searched by police after gig

Mpanga says ‘out of nowhere’ officers put him in a van after sold-out show in Islington

The acclaimed spoken word artist George the Poet has said he was strip-searched by police without cause after a gig in London.

The Cambridge graduate, real name George Mpanga, who grew up in Harlesden, north-west London, said the incident took place outside his parents’ house on Thursday night. Earlier, he had performed at the Screen on the Green in Islington.

Last night after a beautiful sold out show I was chilling outside my parents' house when police rolled up in that big van asking questions about my car. I answered and verified. Then they told me to move my hand from my waistband. Out of nowhere they cuffed me and searched my car for weapons. After the car itself was the first issue . They put me in the van and did a strip search. They then took 20 mins to write my search slip, being rude to my parents and neighbours the whole time • This week I've done talks on diversity in Cambridge and Cardiff. Both were amazing experiences. Last night I delivered a show about all aspects of English life - school, relationships, politics, colonialism. Police didn't get a mention once cos as a grown man I'm sick of talking about them. They will never change and they don't deserve my energy. But to be cuffed and dragged around in front of my parents while they make up lies about me being aggressive and having weapons...it's a reminder that we don't fight on our own terms, we fight on theirs. To all my young boys who are locked in conflict with each other, please wake up and realise who your real enemies are. Realise how much harder you're making it for your children. These people don't wanna see us up, but still like dust we'll rise • I don't like sharing images of me being handled like a second class citizen by public servants whose salaries we pay taxes for. This is not how I see myself, and it's not what I invite into my life. But these images should be an education for anyone who doesn't understand the toxic energies that are quietly spread throughout our community by state actors. Imagine if my nephews woke up and saw their big famous uncle getting handled like this. What seeds would that sow in them? Writing this post was boring, I've got better things to do. Sorry to anyone who was woken up by the noise.

So sorry this happened @GeorgeThePoet. Sadly still happens to young black men too often. Evidence-based stop and search can be a tool against crime. But random stops like this take too many resources for what they achieve, and in the end only poison police-community relations. https://t.co/S1hmh8Ha3B