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Hero security guard tears up while speaking about girl he saved

<p>Laila Johnson, 11, and her mother Samantha, 34, from Candelo near Bega in regional NSW, were sightseeing in London when the young girl was stabbed in a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/11-year-old-australian-girl-identified-as-london-stabbing-victim" target="_blank" rel="noopener">random attack</a> in Leicester Square. </p> <p>Abdullah, a security who was working nearby during the random attack, had jumped into action and saved her life  by holding down the alleged attacker, Ioan Pintaru, until police arrived. </p> <p>On Thursday, Laila and her mum talked about the terrifying incident on <em>Sunrise</em>, and spoke about the incredible bond they had formed with the hero security guard. </p> <p>When shown the clip of Laila and her mum on <em>Sunrise </em>the day after, Abdullah was moved to tears by the heartfelt interview. </p> <p>“I will try to be in contact with them all my life,” Abdullah said, wiping away tears from his eyes.</p> <p>“She is just like my little sister now.”</p> <p>Abdullah was hailed as a hero for his bravery, and recognised at the Pakistan High Commission in London as part of their Independence Day celebrations on the 14th of August. </p> <p>Samantha had told <em>Sunrise</em> that Abdullah “is an absolutely gorgeous human”.</p> <p>“He’s just been checking in on Laila and myself and, yeah, we’ve just been keeping in contact,” she said.</p> <p>“He’s quickly taken Laila in as a little sister, and I think that he will continue to check in on her for a very long time." </p> <p>Pintaru  — a Romanian citizen with no fixed address —  was not asked to enter any pleas and was remanded in custody before his next hearing on September 10.</p> <p>He was charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.</p> <p><em>Images: Seven</em></p>

Caring

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London stabbing victim's incredible bond with hero security guard

<p>The identity of the NSW schoolgirl who was stabbed in<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/11-year-old-australian-girl-identified-as-london-stabbing-victim" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> a random attack</a> in London’s Leicester Square has been revealed. </p> <p>Laila Johnson, 11, and her mum Samantha, 34, from Candelo NSW, were on holiday when the horrific incident occurred on August 12. </p> <p>Abdullah, a security who was working nearby during the random attack, immediately jumped into action and saved her life by holding down the alleged attacker, Ioan Pintaru, until police arrived. </p> <p>“I saw outside there was a guy who was stabbing a girl, so as I saw him stabbing the girl, I started to run towards the guy,” he said shortly after the attack. </p> <p>“I jumped on the guy and grabbed his hand in which he was carrying a knife. I tackled him down on the floor and kicked the knife away from him.</p> <p>“There was only one thought — to save the kid and save her mum, nothing else.”</p> <p>Laila was taken to hospital where she had plastic surgery for serious but non-life-threatening injuries to her face, shoulder, wrist, and neck and was out of hospital the day after the incident. </p> <p>On Thursday, Laila and her mum talked about the terrifying incident on <em>Sunrise</em> and paid tribute to Abdullah. </p> <p>“He is an absolutely gorgeous human,” mother Sam, said.</p> <p>“He’s just been checking in on Laila and myself and, yeah, we’ve just been keeping in contact.</p> <p>“He’s quickly taken Laila in as a little sister, and I think that he will continue to check in on her for a very long time.”</p> <p>Sam recalled the moment Abdullah saved her daughter's life. </p> <p>“He didn’t hesitate. He’s exactly who you want around in a time like that,” she said.</p> <p>She also praised daughter Laila for her optimism, and the day after the incident, the pair were escorted to Wembley Stadium, with the two police officers who came to her aid last week, where she sat in a VIP box to watch her favourite superstar, Taylor Swift. </p> <p>“She was still very sore, but she was getting up and dancing,” Laila’s mum told <em>The Daily Telegraph</em>. </p> <p>“She has always been the most optimistic and determined child in the world. Yeah, I was a bit worried that that might stop her from Taylor Swift, but I shouldn’t have worried,” Sam said on <em>Sunrise</em>. </p> <p>Laila is now back at school and will be he lead in the school's performance of Alice in Wonderland. </p> <p>Pintaru — a Romanian citizen of no fixed address — fronted Westminster Magistrates Court last week charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.</p> <p>He was asked not to enter any pleas and was remanded in custody before his next hearing on September 10.</p> <p><em>Images: Seven</em></p>

Caring

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The touching reason a King's Guard burst into tears

<p>A member of the King's Guard has burst into tears after receiving the surprise of a lifetime while on duty. </p> <p>The King's Guard, who are usually unflappable and stoic figures stationed around Buckingham Palace, was moved to tears on what seemed like a normal day. </p> <p>While sitting atop her horse, the woman stood as tourists passed by and took photos with the iconic guard. </p> <p>The suddenly,  the previously composed guard smiles and can be seen looking teary, as she spots her parents in the crowd.</p> <p>“That’s her dad!” another person in the crowd calls out.</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: currentcolor !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: currentcolor !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7389049472568806663&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40australiancommunitymedia%2Fvideo%2F7389049472568806663%3Flang%3Den%26q%3Dkings%2520guard%2520parents%26t%3D1720402184833&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2Fo0gmiBD0EBBEO2ogfCAgIy8FMyLdCdb2aQeVUL%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-alisg-i-0068%2FoMCEIAuSEFAV4FAAIjsDoeFjmfNA1lNLkD3fEr.image%3Flk3s%3Db59d6b55%26nonce%3D3486%26refresh_token%3D9a02561608471c9dd769ed26581f721f%26x-expires%3D1720573200%26x-signature%3DG49fXegWzTHobCNmRxkZBWQS5r8%253D%26shp%3Db59d6b55%26shcp%3D-&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>The mother-father duo then approached their daughter and stroked the horse while chatting.</p> <p>The teary-eyed guard can then be seen with a smile as her parents turn to face her, and her mother also strokes her daughter’s leg.</p> <p>The guard nods when asked a question by her mother, before breaking down in tears, bending her head forward and using her white gloves to wipe her eyes.</p> <p>The heartwarming moment, which was captured on video and posted to social media, quickly racked up hundreds of comments by impressed tourists. </p> <p>One person wrote, "I'm amazed at the speed with which she pulls herself back together, blink & you miss her initial reaction. That's reason enough to be proud on its own!"</p> <p>Another added, "What a special moment. I hope they all got to spend a little time together after her watch. She is a great Guard and her parents should be proud of her and what she does."</p> <p>Another simply said, "How proud a parent to see your daughter standing post as a Kings Guard."</p> <p><em>Image credits: YouTube</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Hilarious moment King's Guard demands pigeons move from Buckingham Palace

<p>The King's Guard have left royal fans in stitches after a hilarious interaction between two guards and two pesky pigeons has gone viral.</p> <p>The exchange took place outside Buckingham Palace, as the Guards marched out of the gates with a briefcase in hand, holding their signature stern looks. </p> <p>As the Guards progressed, a pair of pigeons stopped in front of them on the pavement, prompting the Guards to bellow "make way" at the birds. </p> <p>Their booming voices startled the birds as they flew away, as the Guards continued down the pavement. </p> <p>The unusual interaction was captured on video and posted to TikTok, where it gained thousands of likes and comments, with many remarking how hilarious it was. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5BwYdaIxPS/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5BwYdaIxPS/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by about.london (@about.ldn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Many were quick to comment on the hilarity of dutiful soldiers yelling at birds with such authority, while another person commented, "How do pigeons behave better than tourists? Incredible."</p> <p>Despite many considering them tourist attractions, the King's Guard consist of elite serving soldiers who are tasked with protecting the monarch's life and properties. </p> <p>The King's Guard are generally not allowed to interact with the public, and have been known to be very vocally aggressive if they get too close or present their bayonets if they become persistent. </p> <p>The soldiers must not let anything distract them from their duties - with toilet breaks banned during two hour shifts - and will march through anyone, or apparently any bird, that gets in their way. </p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

International Travel

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"Tears in my eyes": King's Guard breaks protocol for photo with young royal fan

<p>A member of the King's Guard has been prised online for going out of his way to take a photo with a young man with Down's syndrome, breaking strict protocol. </p> <p>A video of the touching moment, shared by Mike the young man's carer on YouTube, caused a stir thanks to the respectful way the guard acted. </p> <p>Known worldwide for being silent and still even when trying to be distracted by tourists, it is the job of the King's Guard to stand statuesque on duty outside office royal residences. </p> <p>However, footage shows how a kind-hearted member of the Guard moved closer to Mike and the boy who were trying to get a photo to remember their trip to Horse Guards Parade by. </p> <p>Taking to Twitter to post about their day out, Mike who is a professional carer for the youngster, explained, "I've worked for his family and him for a decade now. We were out on a cycle ride on my tandem bicycle and stopped by the Horse Guards Parade."</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nxvGCQY8m4c" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>He admitted that "both I and the young lad" got a bit of a fright "when he stepped closer to us" because it was so unexpected, adding, "This left me with tears in my eyes for a few evenings."</p> <p>After Twitter users initially thought that Mike was the boy's father, he clarified, "I’m also not his dad, although I’d be proud to be."</p> <p>"I'm very grateful to the soldier," he continued. "I'm lucky I had good parents and went to a Jesuit school that cared about me and taught me well, same for the young lad I'm with. Tears in my eyes."</p> <p>The sweet and respectful moment delighted viewers who rushed to share their thoughts and comments on the scene.</p> <p>One person wrote, "Lovely gesture of kindness. All the guards do an exceptional job with so many tourists."</p> <p>Another social media user added, "Total respect to this Guard especially as this young lad was nervous and total respect to the lads guardian for saying thank you wish more tourists were like him."</p> <p>Someone else wrote, "This Guard never fails to melt my heart. That act of kindness brought a lump to my throat. What a sweetheart he is. Your kindness will come back to you young man."</p> <p><em>Image credits: YouTube</em></p>

Caring

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"This made me cry": Royal guard's stunning Tina Turner tribute

<p dir="ltr">The late Tina Turner has been remembered in a special musical tribute outside Buckingham Palace, with the Band of Welsh Guards putting on their own performance of her 1989 hit song, ‘The Best’.</p> <p dir="ltr">The captivating moment took place during the changing of the guard - a daily 45-minute ceremony in which The King’s Guard passes responsibility for protecting Buckingham Palace, as well as St James’ Palace, to the New Guard. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Welsh Guards were joined by the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards Corps of Drums, and the entire performance reportedly went ahead with King Charles III’s full permission.</p> <p dir="ltr">Footage was quickly shared across social media, and fans of the royals and music superstar alike were delighted with what they saw. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This made me cry. So wonderful!!!” one wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh, that got me!  What a fantastic thing to do,” another agreed. </p> <p dir="ltr">“A lovely tribute to Tina by the Welsh Guards! I felt happy and sad listening to it!  Thank you for all the songs, Tina,” one said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Brilliant … Bet a young Tina never would have thought her songs would be played by Guardsmen at Buckingham palace,” someone mused. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Perfect tribute for the Queen of Rock and Roll,” another declared, “she will be missed, there will only be One Tina Turner.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Simply the best! ❤️ </p> <p>At Buckingham Palace, the British Army’s <a href="https://twitter.com/WelshGuardsBand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WelshGuardsBand</a> played a special tribute to 🇺🇸 music icon Tina Turner during the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChangingOfTheGuard?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChangingOfTheGuard</a> 💂‍♂️</p> <p><a href="https://t.co/LOSrsMRYMA">pic.twitter.com/LOSrsMRYMA</a></p> <p>— British Embassy Washington (@UKinUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/UKinUSA/status/1662152963924557835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The tribute came less than one week after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/tributes-flow-for-tina-turner">Tina had passed away at 83</a>, and on the back of touching words from friends, family, and fans across the globe.</p> <p dir="ltr">And the chosen song, ‘The Best’, holds a special place in the hearts of the royals - particularly for Charles’ eldest son, Prince William. </p> <p dir="ltr">In 2021, William had spoken to Apple’s Time to Walk podcast that his mother - the late Princess Diana - used to play music for himself and his brother, Harry, “to kind of while away the anxiety of going back to [boarding] school.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The song that “stuck” with him? Tina Turner’s ‘The Best’. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Because sitting in the backseat, singing away, it felt like a real family moment,” he said. “And my mother, she'd be driving along, singing at the top of her voice … And when I listen to it now, it takes me back to those car rides, and brings back lots of memories of my mother.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It was something - along with the royal tribute - that fans speculated would have meant a lot to Tina, a “resilient” woman who had <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/rare-for-a-mother-to-say-that-tina-turner-s-heartbreaking-fear-revealed">experienced the heartache of losing loved ones</a>, too.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tina’s life had had its joy as well, from her music to her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tina-turner-s-husband-s-loving-act-during-her-darkest-hours">devoted husband</a>, and although the final years of her life had seen the singer engaged in a fierce battle with her own declining health, she still dedicated her time to doing what she did best - though <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/rare-photos-of-tina-turner-s-final-years">her appearances grew rarer as time went on</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">And it was all of this that her fans were happy to celebrate along with the guards, in the best way anyone knew how - through music. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter, Getty</em></p>

Music

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New photos show human side of Queen’s famed guards

<p dir="ltr">Rare, recently released photos have shown a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of the Queen’s guards in between lengthy shifts standing watch during her lying-in-state.</p> <p dir="ltr">The guards, known for their bearskin hats and stoic expressions, were guarding the Queen’s coffin around the clock in the lead-up to her funeral on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, recent photos shared by the UK Ministry of Defence show a more human side to them, with shots of them resting between shifts with their shoes and jackets off, napping and lounging in the parliament building, and dressing each other.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e6a25eb5-7fff-7832-5ec6-4fd74261dd21"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“The UK Armed Forces are continuing to honour their Commander-in-Chief of 70 years, Her Majesty The Queen,” the Ministry captioned the photos.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The UK Armed Forces are continuing to honour their Commander-in-Chief of 70 years, Her Majesty The Queen, as they stand vigil alongside The King's Body Guard. <a href="https://t.co/1iJi4xGGbJ">pic.twitter.com/1iJi4xGGbJ</a></p> <p>— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1571454159404109830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Members of His Majesty’s Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, the Royal Company of Archers and the Yeomen of the Guard guarded the Queen’s coffin during vigils and her funeral and switched places every 20 minutes during her lying-in-state.</p> <p dir="ltr">The new photos come after footage shared earlier this week captured the moment a member of the Royal Guard collapsed near the Queen’s coffin in front of mourners, falling face forward towards the stone floor and bracing himself at the last second.</p> <p dir="ltr">During Her Majesty’s funeral, Lance Sergeant Wordsworth of the First Battalion Coldstream Guards described the preparations made for the service, involving days of standing guard and rehearsals.</p> <p dir="ltr">"For the funeral of Her Majesty, I am involved in doing the street lining. We're also lining the route to St George's Chapel for when the Queen comes down," he said to the Ministry of Defence.</p> <p dir="ltr">"On Wednesday, September 14, I was part of the Guard of Honour at Buckingham Palace when the coffin was received, and then when Her Majesty left to be taken in the procession to Westminster Hall.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Obviously this has been planned for, and you can see how many people are with us, how it is trying to get them working in unison, but as a battalion. This is our bread and butter."</p> <p dir="ltr">The soldier added that it was an immense honour to take part in the late monarch’s funeral and a defining moment in any guard member’s career.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is one of the biggest occasions, as sad as it may be, you're not going to define anything more in your army career than starting as a Queen's guard and probably finishing as a King's guard."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-22e7cbaa-7fff-64cb-7607-ab8754f397a0"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @DefenceHQ (Twitter)</em></p>

Body

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"Help me": Bunnings thief dies after security guard's headlock hold

<p>After stealing a gas cylinder and saw blade from a Melbourne Bunnings store, Anthony Georgiou was placed in a headlock hold by security contractors. </p> <p>The security team tried to stop him from fleeing the Frankston store, while a witness heard Georgiou scream, "Help me, help me, let me go," as he was wrangled to the ground. </p> <p>the store’s sub-contracted loss prevention officers (LPOs) continued to restrain the 31-year-old, despite his clear distress, until he fell unconscious. </p> <p>Georgiou was taken to hospital where he died later that day. </p> <p>A Victorian coroner has found Georgiou’s death in September 2016 would not have occurred if he was not restrained by the contractors at Bunnings.</p> <p>“There seems little doubt that had Georgiou not been involved in the struggle ... he would have walked away from Bunnings that day,” coroner Darren Bracken said in his findings, which were released earlier this week. </p> <p>Forensic pathologist Heinrich Bouwer, who conducted Georgiou’s autopsy, found his death was caused by complications with methylamphetamine use in a setting of physical restraint.</p> <p>He told an inquest being put in a headlock at Bunnings had caused injuries that inhibited Georgiou’s breathing.</p> <p>The security officers told the inquest they initially tried to get Georgiou to take the stolen property back to the store, but he became aggressive and said “no f*** off” and walked away from them.</p> <p>One of the officers said he grabbed Georgiou, near the exit, told him he was under arrest and said “let’s make it easy and come back with us”, but he was ignored, and the physical altercation began. </p> <p>The coroner also found that the security guards in question had not attended the mandatory training on how to deal with thieves, nor been given a copy of the Bunnings' code of conduct.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / A Current Affair</em></p>

Legal

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Russian guard sentenced after doodling eyes on exhibit painting

<p dir="ltr">A Russian security guard has been found guilty of vandalism after doodling eyes on an abstract painting by avant-garde artist Anna Leporskaya last December.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/08/29/russian-museum-guard-yeltsin-centre-doodles-sentenced">Art Newspaper</a>, he must serve 180 hours of “compulsory labour” and undergo “psychiatric evaluation”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The painting, titled <em>Three Figures</em> (1932–34), was on loan to the Yeltsin Centre from Moscow’s State Tretyakov Gallery and valued at 75 million rubles (US$1.2 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">News of the vandalism broke when visitors alerted gallery staff of two crude eyes drawn on the painting’s faceless figures in a ballpoint pen. </p> <p dir="ltr">A police investigation revealed the culprit was 64-year-old Aleksandr Vasiliev, a security guard employed by a private company who was on his first day on the job. </p> <p dir="ltr">After the damage was deemed “insignificant”, it was restored and has since been returned to the Tretyakov Gallery. </p> <p dir="ltr">Vasiliev’s lawyer, Aleskei Bushmakov, shared a letter on his Facebook page that he sent to Zelfira Tregulova, the general director of the Tretyakov Gallery.</p> <p dir="ltr">He wrote that “taking into account the circumstances of the criminal case, the damage inflicted to the painting <em>Three Figures</em>” and “the high level of public attention in connection with the incident,” the museum considered closing the case “via reconciliation” but ultimately decided that it “does not regard it as possible to take such an appeal to the magistrate.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In an interview with Russian news site E1, Vasiliev said he believed the 20th-century work by Leporskaya was a “children’s drawing” and claimed he was goaded by teenagers to deface it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m a fool, what have I done,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: State Tretyakov Gallery / The Art Newspaper Russia</em></p>

Art

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Tourist cops earful from member of Queen’s Guard

<p dir="ltr">A tourist has learned the hard way to not interfere with the Queen’s guards, after she copped an earful from a guard for grabbing his horse’s reins.</p> <p dir="ltr">During a recent trip to London, the woman went to pose for a photo next to the guard and his horse when her hand went to reach towards the animal, drawing the guard’s attention.</p> <p dir="ltr">When she then touched the reins, he reacted by yelling with authority from atop his horse.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Stand back from the Queen’s lifeguard, don’t touch the reins!” he yells.</p> <p dir="ltr">A clip of the incident was shared by the woman’s step-son Ethan on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@phigs_/video/7116598758816763141?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7112642336690570754" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>, with the caption, “We will never return to London after this incident” and text across the footage reading, “Queens Guard Verbally Attacks My Step mum [sic]”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d6005c55-7fff-02e7-69ff-48d842020c82"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Though Ethan commented the guard as a “rather angry little man”, a large number of commenters sided with the guard, arguing that he has an important job to do and that working animals like his horse shouldn’t be touched while on duty.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/queen-guard-horse.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="360" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: TikTok</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not Disney they are working horses and serving army,” one person said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Serves her right, you aren’t allowed to touch the guard,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They have a job, just don’t go near them,” a third added.</p> <p dir="ltr">British followers were particularly quick to defend his actions and respond to their decision not to return to London.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The whole of London is so upset that you won’t be returning we’re all begging you to come back,” one person said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Every British person I know knows you don’t touch them, or is she one of them ones that would put her hand in the blender,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">As some commenters pointed out, the horse’s reins are connected to the animal’s mouth - which is quite sensitive - and tugging on the reins could spook the animal, causing it to bite her or unseat the guard.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others compared interfering with or touching the guard and his horse to doing the same to a guide dog, while <em><a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/queens-guard-member-yells-at-tourist-for-touching-horse-reins-tiktok/98f85c75-54a9-4b5e-a9a7-146c4a6699a8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a></em> royal reporter Natalie Oliveri explained that as a rule, you shouldn’t touch animals that are on-duty.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Also, as a general rule tourists should be respectful of any member of Her Majesty's guard while they are on duty – they are there for an important reason and no one should try to interfere with that,” Oliveri said.</p> <p dir="ltr">She explained that it’s also best not to speak to members of the Queen’s Guard while they’re on duty, and that you shouldn’t expect a response from them.</p> <p dir="ltr">"If you would like a photo, perhaps it's best to stand at a respectable distance and never interfere with their job,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f70ace45-7fff-42a5-8c43-e349bd54bbfc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Pompeii’s ancient ruins guarded by a robot “dog”

<p dir="ltr">The Archaeological Park of Pompeii has found a unique way to patrol the historical archaeological areas and structures of Pompeii in Italy. </p> <p dir="ltr">Created by Boston Dynamics, a robot “dog” named Spot is being used to identify structural and safety issues at Pompeii: the ancient Roman city that was encased in volcanic ash following the 79 C.E. eruption of Mount Vesuvius.</p> <p dir="ltr">The robot is the latest addition to a broader initiative to transform Pompeii into a “Smart Archaeological Park” with “intelligent, sustainable and inclusive management.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The movement for this “integrated technological solution” began in 2013, when UNESCO threatened to remove the site from the World Heritage List unless drastic measures were taken to improve its preservation, after structural deficiencies started to emerge. </p> <p dir="ltr">The goal, as noted in the release, is to “improve both the quality of monitoring of the existing areas, and to further our knowledge of the state of progress of the works in areas undergoing recovery or restoration, and thereby to manage the safety of the site, as well as that of workers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“We wish to test the use of these robots in the underground tunnels that were made by illegal excavators and which we are uncovering in the area around Pompeii, as part of a memorandum of understanding with the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Torre Annunziata,” said Pompeii’s director general Gabriel Zuchtriegel in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">In addition to having Spot the “dog” patrol the area, a laser scanner will also fly over the 163-acre site and record data, which will be used to study and plan further interventions to preserve the ancient ruins of Pompeii. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

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Guard of honour and emotional scenes at Bob Fulton state funeral

<p>Tributes have flowed for the late great Bob Fulton at the rugby league Immortal's state funeral.</p> <p>An esteemed list of the game's most well-known players attended the service to honour the life of 'Bozo', as he was affectionately known, who died last month at the age of 74 after a battle with cancer.</p> <p>Among the most touching of memories shared at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral were that of his family, namely his son, Brett, who recalled heartwarming stories of his father's love.</p> <p>"He was the centre of our universe, he would talk to us multiple times a day," he said.</p> <p>"You knew it was Dad calling because it was a private number and he would always greet us with a familiar, 'Listen'.</p> <p>"[His grandchildren] will never forget him or the lessons learned.</p> <p>"From a young age I had a desire to want to make you proud. I hope I did that."</p> <p>Also in attendance was Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Health Minister Brad Hazzard, along with the game's administrators including Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V'landys.</p> <p>Fulton's former colleagues, broadcasters Ray Hadley and Alan Jones paid tribute to their close friend.</p> <p>"This is a very sad moment for many of us but in a sense, no one ever dies until the memories fade away, and we have very special memories of Bob," an emotional Jones said.</p> <p>Ahead of the funeral, V'landys also took time out from his morning media schedule to honour the memory of Fulton.</p> <p>"It is a very sad day, certainly a very sad day for the family foremost, and our hearts go out to them," V'landys said on 2GB.</p> <p>"But it will be a funny day, because Bozo was a joker, that's how he got his name. What an inspiration he is to everybody, he was a migrant from England, lived in a fibro home in Unanderra, rose to play for Australia and become a legend.</p> <p>"Bob was an Immortal, but more-so he was also inducted into the National Sport Hall of Fame, a very rare situation for a rugby league player. That's the esteem he was held in, that's the great player that he was, and a coach, and then later on he was a funny addition to the Continuous Call Team."</p> <p>Fulton made 213 appearances for Manly between 1966 and 1976, scoring 129 tries and winning premierships in 1972, 1973 and 1976. He also played 50 games with Eastern Suburbs.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

News

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Security guards "unlocked office" for alleged Parliament assault

<p>The former director of security operations at Parliament House quit his job in the wake of the "tragic" alleged sexual assault of Brittany Higgins after raising concerns over how the matter was dealt with.</p> <p>According to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://news.com.au/" target="_blank">News.com.au</a>, Peter Butler, a former sworn New South Wales Special Constable has raised concerns over the March 23, 2019 incident for years.</p> <p>A secret parliamentary inquiry into the security at Parliament House has spent months trying to figure out how the alleged sexual assault was dealt with, with former and current security guards providing confidential submissions.</p> <p>Security officers who are aware of the circumstances on the night of the alleged sexual attack have told news.com.au that they checked on Ms Higgins’ welfare in the early morning of March 23, 2019 for two reasons.</p> <p>They say the first reason is that on the night the incident occurred, the male staffer took an intoxicated Ms Higgins to an office which he did not have a key for.</p> <p>A whistleblower claims that security officers from the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) not only signed the two in without security passes but opened the door to then-Defence Industry Minister Linda Reynold's office for the male staffer.</p> <p>Due to opening the office for him, it was their duty of care to ensure the office was properly secured after they had left.</p> <p>But CCTV footage showed the male staffer leaving with no sign of the woman.</p> <p>“Two went in, but only one came out,’’ a former security officer told news.com.au.</p> <p>The second reason security returned to Senator Reynolds' office is to determine what had happened to the woman who had been brought in "falling down drunk" and barely able to sign her own name.</p> <p>They found Ms Higgins disorientated and half-naked in the Defence Minister’s office, where she had been left by the male staffer who had brought her there.</p> <p>Despite what they came across, the DPS did not think a sexual crime had been committed.</p> <p>The next morning there was a dispute on whether the office should be cleaned before people returned to work on Monday.</p> <p>The disagreement caused friction between DPS bureaucrats and those who raised concerns over whether this was the correct course of action.</p> <p>Parliament’s former security director Mr Butler told news.com.au that he could not comment on any of the specifics outlined but he was happy to cooperate with any future inquiries.</p> <p>“In my previous role as the Director Security Operations for DPS at the time of this tragic incident, I provided assistance to police undertaking certain inquiries,” he said.</p> <p>“As this is an ongoing matter I may be called upon to provide further assistance to the authorities so it would be inappropriate for me to comment further and potentially compromise any potential inquiries or investigation.”</p> <p>“Also as an ongoing Commonwealth Public Servant I am unable to make any comments on this matter to the media.”</p> <p>It is the divisions within DPS over the decision to call in cleaners that led to complaints being made to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the subsequent investigation into whether a potential crime scene had been tampered with by cleaners.</p> <p>The DPS says the AFP investigation found that because it did not know at the time it was a potential sexual assault that no “criminality” was involved in the clean.</p> <p>“The AFP has advised DPS that it had conducted enquiries into the action of DPS staff in the initial handling of the incident, including whether there was any criminality identified, such as attempts to conceal or interfere with a suspected crime scene,’’ the DPS spokesman said.</p> <p>“The AFP advised that there were no disclosures of sexual assault made by the complainant on the day of the incident and therefore actions taken by them (DPS) were not in response with a suspected crime”.</p>

Legal

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Masked Singer grand finale interrupted by furious security guard

<p>Masked Singer star Jackie O has revealed how the taping of the grand finale was interrupted by an angry security guard.</p> <p>The last episode of the show was set to be filmed two weeks ago but had to be cancelled just two hours before showtime due to a crew member testing positive to COVID-19.</p> <p>The rest of the cast and crew were then required to quarantine for two weeks in Melbourne before producers allowed Jackie O to return to Sydney and Urzila Carlson to New Zealand. </p> <p>“They put our health before the show and they pretty much sent everyone back to their home,” Jackie O said on KIIS FM this morning.</p> <p>But despite the unfortunate circumstances, Channel 10 was firm on their decision to film a grand finale, and last night that became a reality.</p> <p>“We are ambitiously filming the finale via green screen with people in two different countries, two different states and three different locations and they’re keying us in as if we’re all together in studio,” Jackie said.</p> <p>“Urzila is quarantining in this hotel (in New Zealand) by herself so therefore she cannot have anyone enter her room to help her out with equipment. All she’s been given is some sort of GoPro to put on the top of her computer, she’s got a green sheet behind her and she has to do her own hair and makeup.”</p> <p>Filming began at 4 pm AEST yesterday and went for over 10 hours. But in the last half an hour, shooting was interrupted by an angry security guard.</p> <p>“It’s 1.30 in the morning and we’ve done two mask reveals and we’re waiting for our final mask reveal,” Jackie said on air today. “Urzila gets a busting knock on the door, we’re talking ‘bang, bang, bang!’ Ursula’s like, ‘Oh my god, someone’s at the door, they’re banging on the door!’”</p> <p>The Masked Singer judge quickly realised it was hotel security.</p> <p>“I said to her, ‘Why would you be getting a knock on the door at this time?’ She said, ‘Probably because for the last hour and a half I’ve been yelling out, ‘Take it off, take it off, take it off!’” Jackie said.</p> <p>“I was in tears thinking about the people in New Zealand in hotel quarantine hearing some girl on her own at 3.30 in the morning just yelling out these things,” the radio host laughed.</p> <p>The Masked Singer grand finale is set to air next Monday night on Channel 10.</p>

Music

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“Then I saw the knife”: Dramatic moment hero security guard knew he had to act

<p><span>A security guard who put himself on the line by ramming into a FIFO worker who was in a stabbing rampage has spoken out about the incident for the first time.</span><br /><br /><span>MCS security guard Clifford Hagart said he tried to restrain Ashley Fildes, 34, who held a knife which he used to attack a policewoman at the South Hedland shopping centre in Western Australia on May 1.</span><br /><br /><span>The FIFO worker stabbed five people inside the local shopping centre as well as a man at a nearby motel.</span><br /><br /><span>He also injured another in a car at a McDonald's car park before being shot dead by police.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836187/clifford.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2476ff4a09224b80971ec362284a9aa4" /><em>Clifford Hagart and Ashley Fildes.</em></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><br /><span>CCTV footage displays Mr Hagart bravely running head on at Fildes trying to stop his attacker and bring him down.</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Hagart said he realised the incident was serious when he saw Fildes trying to stab a female police officer. The action prompted him to react and try to stop the knife-wielder.</span><br /><br /><span>“Then I saw the knife, I realised it was something more serious this time,” Mr Hagart explained to The West Australian.</span><br /><br /><span>“I thought I saw him stab the female police officer — luckily he missed — but it was at that point I knew I had to try and restrain him.”</span><br /><br /><span>Fildes knocked Mr Hagart down, but then the security guard heard gunshots - which is when WA police officers fatally shot Fildes.</span><br /><br /><span>WA Premier Mark McGowan and WA Police commissioner Chris Dawson have both commended Mr Hagart for his bravery.</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Hagart firmly believes however that stopping Fildes was a “community effort” and that more people should be recognised.</span><br /><br /><span>Truck driver Konrad Frost, 39, whose throat was slit by Fildes during the attack has also been regarded as a hero.</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Frost said he remembers Fildes approaching Kimberley Abbott and her 14-month-old daughter moments after being stabbed in the neck while shopping.</span><br /><br /><span>In an effort to distract Fildes from hurting the mother, Mr Frost yelled after him.</span><br /><br /><span>“I remember him swinging at me again but he missed, and that's when I just started yelling at him,” Mr Frost told 9News.</span><br /><br /><span>“Yeah, she was the hero...she protected her, even while she was being attacked.”</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Frost was flown to Royal Perth Hospital for emergency surgery where he was placed in a coma, and it was the most damaging wound Fildes gave to any of his victims.</span><br /><br /><span>The injury was so deep that it took him more than two weeks to start talking and eating again.</span><br /><br /><span>Hours before the violent rampage, a distraught relative admitted that Fildes had been in an altercation with his boss..</span><br /><br /><span>According to family, he had been suffering from a “deep depression” and a failed marriage.</span><br /><br /><span>Following the dispute, a colleague drove Fildes from the worksite and dropped him at the Lodge Motel where he had been staying.</span><br /><br /><span>From there, violence ensued.</span><br /><br /><span>He chased motel staff and other guests with the knife before stabbing his first victim.</span><br /><br /><span>He then moved to a McDonald's car park at the shopping centre where he stabbed a man in a car, before continuing through the mall to Kmart.</span><br /><br /><span>Dramatic footage showed Fildes walking through the centre brandishing the large kitchen knife.</span><br /><br /><span>The attack ended when Fildes was shot dead by police.</span><br /><br /><span>The police union say it was a “textbook” shooting.</span><br /><br /><span>Major crime detectives are investigating whether Fildes experienced a psychotic episode.</span><br /><br /><span>Fildes' parents said they would not hold any grudges against the police who shot him dead.</span><br /><br /><span>A relative told The West Australian that Fildes was a “beautiful, beautiful soul” and the violent rampage was out-of-character.</span><br /><br /><span>“He's just not that kind of person. He's just mellow and lovely. I know he had a lot of trauma in his life. The last few years have been really tough for him, but he's not a violent person,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“There is just no way on this earth that Ashley could do something like this. He doesn't hurt people — he helps people.</span><br /><br /><span>“He was deeply depressed but never ever in my wildest dreams would I ever think he would hurt another human being.”</span></p>

News

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Rod Stewart charged after allegedly punching a security guard on NYE

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>New police documents reveal that Sir Rod Stewart has been charged with simple battery after an altercation on New Year’s Eve left him punching a hotel security guard.</p> <p>The incident supposedly started after Stewart and his party were denied access to a private event held at a Palm Beach hotel known as The Breakers.</p> <p>Hotel security guard Jessie Dixon told police that he was working at a private event in the children’s area of the hotel when he saw a “group of people” wanting to gain access.</p> <p>According to the police report that has been obtained by<span> </span><em>The Daily Mail</em>, Stewart and his party were trying to get into the event despite being “unauthorised to do so”.</p> <p>“The group began to get loud and cause a scene” and refused to leave when Dixon told them to go, the report said. </p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6daxGoDt6D/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6daxGoDt6D/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sir Rod Stewart (@sirrodstewart)</a> on Dec 24, 2019 at 7:08am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Police went to speak with Stewart, where he said that they were trying to get the children in their group to get into the event.</p> <p>But, after being denied access to the event, Rod told police that “Dixon became argumentative with his family, which in turn caused them to become agitated,” the police report said. </p> <p>Stewart “apologized for his behavior in the incident,” police noted.   However, after police reviewed The Breakers video camera footage, it showed that Stewart and his son Rod were the “primary aggressors” in the altercation.</p> <p>Between the sworn witness statements obtained by other hotel employees who saw the event unfold and the video footage, police have said that there is enough evidence to warrant charging Stewart with one count of simple battery, which he has since been charged with.</p> <p>Stewart has since been given a court notice for the incident and will front the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Complex on February 5th.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Music

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“He was so angry”: Elton John stuns concertgoers with onstage rant

<p>Sir Elton John surprised fans with a foul-mouthed tirade at “moron” security guards during his concert in Perth on Sunday night.</p> <p>He was in Perth performing on his<span> </span>Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, but halfway through his three-hour concert, John spotted a woman being removed from the concert by security guards.</p> <p>He stopped the show and demanded the lady be returned to her seat.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">**Warning - Explicit**<br /><br />"You don't treat girls like that!" &lt;3 Elton<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EltonJohn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EltonJohn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Perth?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Perth</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/perthnews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#perthnews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nsfwtwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nsfwtwitter</a> <br />**Not my footage <a href="https://t.co/F9pHLHaRLj">pic.twitter.com/F9pHLHaRLj</a></p> — Nokternl (@Nokternl) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nokternl/status/1201194991315349505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">1 December 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“Hey, you two security guards with the girl … F**k off,” Elton can be heard saying in a video doing the rounds on social media. “Let her up here immediately … come on, you c**ts.</p> <p>“Morons, both of you, morons. You don’t treat girls like that. Leave her alone you turds!”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Elton John just called out venue security guards live on stage for aggressively accosting a fan at his Perth show.<br /><br />“You don’t treat girls like that.”<br /><br />What a legend 💕 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EltonFarewellTour?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EltonFarewellTour</a> <a href="https://t.co/wN387iGKoA">pic.twitter.com/wN387iGKoA</a></p> — Lucy Thomas 🌈 (@lucylockit_) <a href="https://twitter.com/lucylockit_/status/1201129110409334786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">1 December 2019</a></blockquote> <p>It is currently unknown why the woman was being removed from the concert.</p> <p>Channel 9 presenter Louise Momber was in the crowd and spoke to the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/elton-john-unleashes-c-bomb-at-security-at-perth-concert-20191202-p53fxk.html" target="_blank">Sydney Morning Herald</a><span> </span>that the singer apologised his outburst.</p> <p>“He was so angry,” Momber said. “He said he can’t stand violence against women and had to say something.</p> <p>“He sang the next song and then immediately apologised for his rant — but said it’s something he’s really passionate about.</p> <p>"It was certainly a side of Sir Elton I'd never seen before.</p> <p>"One of the biggest music stars in the world – and he took on Perth security guards."</p>

News

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Queen’s Guard soldier shoves tourist at Windsor Castle

<p>Footage has emerged online of the moment a tourist was shoved out the way by a soldier from the Queen’s Guard outside Windsor Castle.</p> <p>The video shows the soldier pushing the tourist while she was standing alone on the wrong side of a roped off area outside the castle.</p> <p>The woman, who was wearing a yellow dress and sunglasses, was pushed forward by the soldier.</p> <p class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-XGOzV6wa3Q" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>After being pushed by the guard, the woman moved to the side as he continued to march in front of the shocked onlookers.</p> <p>The Queen’s Guard are responsible for protecting official royal residences.</p> <p>They are easily identified by their distinctive uniforms of red tunics and bearskin hats.</p> <p>The Guardsmen are fully-trained serving soldiers and have protected the palaces since Charles II took the throne after the English restoration in 1660.</p> <p>There are guidelines in place for guardsmen to deal with nuisances, such as stamping their feet and shouting.</p> <p>Reportedly, raising a rifle is considered a “final warning”, after which the person in question is allowed to be detained.</p> <p>After the tourist was shoved by the guard, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence told <em><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Sun</strong></span></a>:</em> “The Household Division is proud to guard Her Majesty and honoured that people come from around the world to watch our ceremonial spectacle.”</p> <p>“The ropes are there to protect both the public and our soldiers; please stay behind them.”</p> <p>In 2015, a soldier was forced to turn his rifle on a tourist who grabbed him outside Windsor Castle.</p> <p>To the entertainment of his friends, a man marched alongside the guardsmen and placed his hand on one of the soldier’s shoulders.</p> <p>The soldier quickly turned around and pointed his gun at the tourist, shouting: “Get back from the Queen’s Guard!”</p>

International Travel

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Why Prince Harry and Meghan are under heavy guard

<p>Newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan have been given extra security protection – the same level as the Queen and the British Prime Minister – because of comments former soldier Harry made back in 2013.</p> <p>British special forces are guarding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with sub-machine guns amid fears the couple could be targeted by the Taliban.</p> <p>In 2013, Harry boasted of blowing “Taliban extremists to pieces” and confirmed he killed Taliban fighters.</p> <p>When asked if he had killed on duty he said, “Yeah, so lots of people have. The squadron’s been out here. Everyone’s fired a certain amount.”</p> <p>He added: “Take a life to save a life, that’s what we revolve around, I suppose. If there’s people trying to do bad stuff to our guys, then we’ll take them out of the game, I suppose.”</p> <p>The comments caused a stir at the time with the Taliban responding, telling  <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jan/22/afghanistan-taliban-response-prince-harry">The Guardian</a>: “I think he has a mental problem, that’s why he is saying it is a game. These kind of people live like diplomats in Afghanistan, they can’t risk themselves by standing against the mujahideen [holy warriors].”</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6387472/meghan-markle-and-prince-harrys-countryside-lovenest-is-now-guarded-by-anti-terror-cops-armed-with-sub-machine-guns/">The Sun</a>, Harry’s comments have come back to haunt him five years on.</p> <p>While the couple are well protected at Kensington Palace, the royal couple’s countryside home has been beefed up with the same level of anti-terrorist security provided at Buckingham Palace and that protects UK Prime Minister Theresa May and spy bases.</p> <p>The property is also on a list of properties where members of the public risk being jailed for six months if they are found trespassing.</p> <p>Locals near the country pad in Cotswolds, in south central England, have reported being stopped by heavily-armed officers, who are believed to be on patrol in the area. </p> <p>Security for the royal wedding costs £30 million in what became one of the most heavily-guarded events in history.</p>

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