Theatre owner Sir Cameron Mackintosh has written an open letter criticising the Prime Minister after football fans caused tens of thousands of pounds of damage to Wyndham’s Theatre after the Euro 2020 final on 11 July.
Delfont Mackintosh Theatres shared the letter on Twitter on 14 July. In it, Mackintosh criticized the lack of policing during the riots.
“As was widely reported and condemned on social media, at approximately 5pm, around 50 people broke through fencing at Wyndham’s Theatre and climbed on to the delicate canopy of the 19th century, grade II listed, building in the heart of the West End,” Mackintosh wrote. “The police appeared insufficiently resourced to deal with this vandalism and the danger posed to the trespassers.”
The producer, best known for his work on Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, and Cats, also criticized the government’s treatment of British theatre.
“The scenes of devastation outside some of our most cherished listed theatre buildings and the wholly inadequate care and protection from those in authority serves as a grim metaphor for the way in which government has treated commercial theatre,” he continued.
67,000 fans attended Wembley stadium for the England v Italy final. Despite this, social distancing regulations were in place for theatres and performing arts venues until 19 July.
Metropolitan Police revealed on Twitter that they made 49 arrests during the day in connection to the events. 19 officers were also injured.
Words by Amelia Hansford
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Image Credit: “No Man’s Land at Wyndham’s Theatre” by ahisgett is licensed under CC BY 2.0