Thaindian News

London, Apr 27(ANI): A pub singer has been arrested in the Isle of Wight, the largest island of England, on suspicion of racism for singing the classic chart hit ‘Kung Fu Fighting’, a Hampshire police spokesman has said.

The spokesman said Simon Ledger was arrested on suspicion of causing harassment, alarm or distress under Section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986 after a 32-year-old man of Chinese origin claimed that he was subjected to racial abuse.

“If a victim believes that an alleged crime is racially aggravated, the police will treat it seriously. Investigations into this incident are continuing,” the Daily Mail quoted the spokesman, as saying.

He said Ledger has been released on bail and will visit Newport police station today where he will be interviewed.

Ledger was singing at the Driftwood Beach Bar in Sandown on Sunday when he launched into the disco classic, The Isle of Wight Gazette reported.

A Chinese mother and son were reportedly walking past at the same time and took offence.

Ledger is said to have offended two Chinese people as they walked past the Driftwood Beach Bar in Sandown, where he was singing.

“We were performing Kung Fu Fighting, as we do during all our sets. People of all races were loving it. Chinese people have never been offended by it before. But this lad walking past with his mum started swearing at us and making obscene hand gestures before taking a picture on his mobile phone,” Ledger said.

“We hadn’t even seen them when we started the song. He must have phoned the police. It’s political correctness gone potty. There are plenty of Welsh people at our shows - does it mean I can’t play any Tom Jones?” he added.

Meanwhile, the bar owner Sean Ware insisted that the song is in no way racist and nor is Ledger.

“There is no way he would abuse anyone. He didn’t start the song just because Chinese people were walking past. He had already started playing it,” Ware said. (ANI)