Protests over Khan's record on tackling crime halt rowdy hustings in mayor vote

THE first London mayoral hustings had to be halted after Sadiq Khan faced repeated protests from an audience member over his record on tackling violent crime.

- Ross Lydall

 

The event last night was suspended for about 20 minutes when Andreas Michli, an independent mayoral candidate, repeatedly shouted out the names of teenage knife crime victims, preventing Mr Khan from speaking.

Mr Michli, who was sitting in the middle of the 200-strong audience with two supporters, eventually agreed to leave after multiple requests from the venue's security staff.

He said he was protesting about "the absolute doo-doo coming out of his [Mr Khan's] mouth" after the Mayor said "austerity" was to blame for the rise in violent crime. "Children are dying," Mr Michli said. "The little man over there will continue to let teenagers die."

Mr Khan clashed verbally with Tory rival Susan Hall after she criticised his decision to spend £140 million a year providing free school meals for all London primary school children. She claimed it was wrong for taxpayers to be providing free meals for "millionaires' children" and said she would only continue universal free meals for a year if elected.