Category Archives: London

Remains of earliest purpose-built playhouse found in east London

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Location of the Red Lion, which predated the Globe, has been subject of debate for years

Archaeologists believe they have found remains of one of the most elusive of all known Elizabethan structures – the earliest purpose-built playhouse in Britain and a prototype for a theatre that staged plays by a young William Shakespeare.

The Red Lion is thought to have been built around 1567 and probably played host to travelling groups of players. Its precise location has been the subject of conjecture and debate for a number of years, but archaeologists are as certain as they can be that they have found its remains at a site in the East End of London where a self-storage facility once stood.

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Barclay nephews say it was ‘necessary and reasonable’ to bug Ritz

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Relatives claim they secretly recorded Sir Frederick Barclay to protect family business

Sir Frederick Barclay’s nephews have said they felt it was “necessary and reasonable” to bug the conservatory of the Ritz hotel after becoming concerned that their billionaire uncle’s conduct could potentially damage the family’s business empire, according to documents lodged at the high court.

Barclay, 85, and his daughter, Amanda, are suing three of his twin brother Sir David Barclay’s sons – Alistair, Aidan and Howard, and Aidan’s son Andrew – over 1,000 conversations secretly recorded at the Ritz hotel across several months.

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‘Just the beginning’: voices from the Black Lives Matter protest in London – video

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Thousands of protesters gathered outside the US embassy in London on Sunday to show solidarity with demonstrators in America, where protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis continued into a second weekend. Crowds in the UK capital shouted slogans in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, calling for action to end racism and prejudice. 

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‘Sing his name’: thousands gather in London for George Floyd protest – video

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Thousands of protesters have marched through central London in an overwhelmingly peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration that culminated in passionate crowds gathering at the heart of Westminster. 

The demonstrators, the vast majority of whom were under 30, chanted: 'No justice, no peace, no racist police', 'I can’t breathe' and 'the UK is not innocent', in a lockdown-defying demonstration that was largely organised through word of mouth and social media away from established anti-racism groups.

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George Floyd killing: reports over 10,000 arrested; ex-defense secretary denounces Trump – live

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James Mattis accuses Trump of dividing US and ordering military to violate constitutional rights of Americans

Associated Press are reporting that more than 10,000 people have now been arrested in protests against racism and police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death. It’s not an official figure, but comes from their own tally of arrest reports.

The AP figures show that Los Angeles has had more than a quarter of the national arrests, followed by New York, Dallas and Philadelphia. Many of the arrests have been for low-level offences such as curfew violations and failure to disperse. Hundreds were arrested on burglary and looting charges.

If you’ve been following the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag on social media you may have been surprised this morning by a sudden flood of Korean characters and the repeated phrase: “We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.”

The source of this is the world’s biggest K-Pop band, BTS, who posted on social media this morning:

우리는 인종차별에 반대합니다.
우리는 폭력에 반대합니다.
나, 당신, 우리 모두는 존중받을 권리가 있습니다. 함께 하겠습니다.

We stand against racial discrimination.
We condemn violence.
You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.#BlackLivesMatter

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Met feared ‘serious disorder’ if lockdown rules were enforced at racism protest

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Scotland Yard chief Cressida Dick also calls for justice and accountability following death of George Floyd

Britain’s top officer has said police feared there would be violence if they tried to intervene with protesters in London angered by the brutal death of George Floyd at the hands of an American officer.

Demonstrators at protests in London on Sunday and Tuesday flouted coronavirus lockdown rules on how many people can gather together.

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Plan to open mosque in Trocadero in London sparks objections

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Foundation seeks to convert part of historic building into mosque and community centre

A plan to convert part of the famous Trocadero building in Piccadilly Circus in London into a mosque has sparked objections from people who say a place of worship in an area noted for its bars and nightlife is inappropriate.

The Aziz Foundation, a charity that offers educational grants and scholarships to Muslims, has applied to Westminster city council for permission to convert the basement and ground floor of the Trocadero into a place of worship and a community centre.

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Boris Johnson will not face criminal inquiry over Jennifer Arcuri

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IOPC says no further action required over businesswoman’s receipt of public money and access to trade trips

Boris Johnson has avoided a criminal investigation into his relationship with the US businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri while he was mayor of London.

But he will face a further investigation into his conduct when he was mayor, after the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found evidence that officials were influenced by the close relationship between the pair.

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Police watchdog to announce decision on Johnson-Arcuri inquiry

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IOPC to reveal on Thursday whether PM will face criminal investigation into relationship

Boris Johnson will find out on Thursday if he faces a criminal investigation into his relationship with an American businesswoman while he was mayor of London.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is to reveal its long-delayed decision on whether to investigate him for possible criminal misconduct over his friendship with Jennifer Arcuri.

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Met police officer investigated after man shot with Taser stun gun is left paralysed

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Outcry after man, 23, fell from wall after stun gun was fired in Haringey, north London

A police officer has been placed under criminal investigation after a man was shot with a Taser weapon and left paralysed from the waist down, the Guardian has learned.

The man, 23, was shot by an officer using a stun gun as he jumped over a wall and fell as officers tried to detain him in Haringey, north London.

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Train union threatens strike action if staff and drivers are not protected

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Leaders condemn ‘complete shambles’ on London network that is ‘fraught with danger’

Train unions have said they could take industrial action and stop trains if drivers and passengers are not protected from coronavirus, after photos emerged of packed London Underground services as many people returned to work following seven weeks of lockdown.

Transport for London indicated that the number of commuters remained relatively low, at 63,000 on Wednesday morning, up 7% on the previous day.

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Conservation society clashes with Disney over missing historic letters

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Campaigners call for return of 1930s wording to Twentieth Century Fox Film Co former offices

Disney, titan of the media and entertainment world, has enraged a group of Londoners attempting to preserve one of Soho’s best-known squares. And the battle is over one word: “Fox”.

In the south-west corner of Soho Square stands Twentieth Century House, a grand emblem of the American film industry’s key role in this part of the city since 1937. It is now in the hands of Disney.

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Police watchdog investigates London stun gun shooting

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Concerns raised about ‘disproportionate’ use of force after young black man is seriously injured

The police watchdog has launched an investigation into the conduct of three officers after a black man in his 20s was left with a life-changing injury in an incident in north London where he was shot with a stun gun.

Police on patrol in Haringey chased the man on Monday after he ran away from them following an approach, it is understood. They used the stun gun as he jumped over a wall and he fell, suffering serious back injuries, which his family fear could leave him at least partially paralysed.

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All dressed up: one street’s response to corona chic – in pictures

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With pyjamas and tracksuits becoming the lockdown look, the photographer Robin Sinha invited residents of his home street in Walthamstow to put on their Sunday best and imagine they had a special occasion to attend. Sinha hopes the project - All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go - will bring the street’s residents closer, and is exploring the idea of a local exhibition to raise funds for the NHS

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‘Truly shocking’: the area of the UK worst-affected by Covid-19

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Coronavirus has hit the London borough of Newham – one of the UK’s most deprived areas – harder than anywhere else

Kamrul Islam doesn’t dare visit his local supermarket. Over the last few weeks, he said three of his closest friends fell ill with the coronavirus shortly after shopping there. One friend’s mother became seriously unwell after contracting the virus and sadly died.

The 40-year-old former cab driver says a day doesn’t go by when he isn’t aware of a death or infection of someone he knows. While the coronavirus has spread widely across the UK, the pandemic has taken a huge toll on the area where Islam lives, the east London borough of Newham, which has recorded the worst mortality rate in England and Wales.

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What will coronavirus mean for the British economy?

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As the UK faces what may be its worst ever recession, we begin a monthly series exploring the financial shock to business and living standards

One month after a national lockdown was declared in an attempt to limit the spread of Covid-19, it is clear that Britain is heading for the deepest recession in living memory.

Boris Johnson’s government launched unprecedented restrictions on 23 March, telling the British public that they must stay at home and bringing life as the nation knew it to an abrupt halt.

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Grenfell Tower inquiry could resume by Zoom videolink

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Inquiry solicitor sets out options for restarting hearings during coronavirus crisis

The public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster could resume in virtual form with evidence taken by Zoom videolink, its senior legal adviser has told bereaved people and survivors.

An online system has been successfully tested by role-playing barristers, and hearings could be restarted within weeks if the option is chosen following a consultation launched on Monday.

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