George the Poet strip-searched 'out of nowhere' by police in Neasden after sell-out show in Islington

Spoken word artist George the Poet has claimed he was strip-searched by police in Neasden without cause after performing a sell-out show on Thursday (June 28).

The 27-year-old, who was nominated for the 2015 Brit critics' choice award, said police approached him while he was sitting outside his parents' house in Neasden .

Footage posted on George Mpanga's Instagram account shows the artist in handcuffs hours after performing at Screen on the Green in Islington.

The artist wrote on Instagram: "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."

After attending Cambridge University, George the Poet became one of the UK's most prominent performance poets. He kicked off BBC coverage of the royal wedding in May.

He added: "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?"

The artist suggests officers initially suggested they found his car was uninsured, but claims they changed their approach after being shown insurance documents.

Responding to the incident on Twitter, shadow home secretary said Diane Abbott said random stops like this "poison police-community relations" in the end.

She wrote: "So sorry this happened. 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."

In a statement, a spokesman for Metropolitan Police said they initially approached the artist because "the vehicle was not displaying any insurance".

"On Thursday June 28, officers from the Territorial Support Group were patrolling an area highlighted to them in intelligence reports for having high gang activity," the spokesman said.

"Whilst on patrol their attention was drawn to a man sitting in a car on Lansbury Close, NW10 in darkness at 00.01am and decided to investigate."

They added: "The number plate of the vehicle was checked via the Police National Computer which indicated the vehicle was uninsured. Officers spoke to the driver - a 27-year-old man - and explained that the vehicle was not displaying any insurance.

"The man's behaviour provided grounds for officers to search him. Nothing was found following the search and he was not arrested.

"The man provided officers with his details and they established that he did in fact have insurance for the vehicle. The stop and search was recorded correctly by the officers.

"The officers were wearing body worn video - the footage has been reviewed by senior officers who are satisfied at the way the search was conducted."