Charlie Gilmour > Anarchy in London

[drafsack]

Son of Pink Floyd star sorry for London memorial protest

The son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour issued a public apology Friday for swinging from a flag on Britain's main war memorial during a protest against higher university fees.

Charlie Gilmour said he did not realise he was climbing on the Cenotaph Enlarge photo

Charlie Gilmour said in a statement that he was sorry for the "terrible insult" to the country's war dead after he was pictured clambering up the Cenotaph in central London on Thursday.

A former model who now studies history at Britain's prestigious Cambridge University, Gilmour said he did not realise it was the Cenotaph at the time.

"I would like to express my deepest apologies for the terrible insult to the thousands of people who died bravely for our country that my actions represented," he wrote.

"I feel nothing but shame. My intention was not to attack or defile the Cenotaph. Running along with a crowd of people who had just been violently repelled by the police, I got caught up in the spirit of the moment.

"I did not realise that it was the Cenotaph and if I had, I certainly would not have done what I did."

Thousands of student protesters went on the rampage through London on Thursday as the government narrowly won a parliamentary vote on raising university tuition fees as much as threefold.

Some attacked a car carrying Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, and his wife Camilla. Police said 34 people were arrested and 55 were injured in the demonstrations.


http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20101210/te ... 6114e.html


The son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour has said sorry for climbing the Cenotaph during the student protests, saying he was "mortified" by his "moment of idiocy". Skip related content
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Rock star son sorry for Cenotaph climb 'idiocy' Enlarge photo

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Gilmour's son Charlie said in a statement that he would like to "express his deepest apologies for the terrible insult to the thousands of people who died bravely for our country" and he did not realise what the monument was.

The Cenotaph, in Whitehall, commemorates Britain's war dead.

His statement reads: "I would like to express my deepest apologies for the terrible insult to the thousands of people who died bravely for our country that my actions represented.

"I feel nothing but shame. My intention was not to attack or defile the Cenotaph. Running along with a crowd of people who had just been violently repelled by the police, I got caught up in the spirit of the moment.

"I did not realise that it was the Cenotaph and if I had, I certainly would not have done what I did. I feel additionally mortified that my moment of idiocy has distracted so much from the message yesterday's protest was trying to send out."

"Ignorance is the poorest of excuses but I am sincerely sorry."

David Gilmour's former bandmate Roger Waters lost his father in the Second World War and has written about his loss extensively throughout his career, including a number of Pink Floyd songs.

The moving track When The Tigers Broke Free chronicles an attack on the Royal Fusiliers by German Tiger tanks.

Waters' father, Eric Fletcher Waters, served in the Fusiliers and died during Operation Shingle.

On the track Waters describes how he found a letter of condolence from the Government. The song ends with his anguished cry: "And that's how the High Command took my daddy from me."

The cover of Floyd's album The Final Cut - on which When The Tigers Broke Free has been included - features a poppy and four Second World War medal ribbons.

[Jimi Dean Barrett]

I was just coming to this site to post that news! I'll have to get up earlier in the morning next time.
I understand his confusion though, a great white block in the middle of the road... it's not like it's common knowledge or anything... could of happened to any one of us really

So I take it Roger will be sending him a copy of TFC for Christmas then?
I wonder when Dave found out he waved his hands in the air and bellowed "THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED!"

[drafsack]

makes you wonder what he was doing there its not like he is going to struggle to pay the £9000

[Jimi Dean Barrett]

makes you wonder what he was doing there its not like he is going to struggle to pay the £9000

And he's studying... history? If it was "studying" something else I'd be less harsh but a history student who doesn't know of the Cenotaph?

Makes you wonder what the hell he went to University for?

[snifferdog]

Not the wisest move the lad has ever made, to say the least. I'm guessing he'll not be on Roger Waters's Christmas card list this year

[Jimi Dean Barrett]

I was listening to a talk radio show about it and a lot of the callers seemed to think Dave Gilmour's son was a girl?
I've since seen his picture and can only be more alarmed that people thought he was a girl than the actual incident!

[oldhippy]

They say ignorance is bliss. Not knowing it was the cenotaph. What an ignorant so and so this spoiled brat is. Next time Charlie make sure you’re in the front line I’m sure a cop would be proud to hit you over that empty head of yours and knock some fucking sense into you. What were you doing there in the first place? You’re not hard up, daddy pays for everything. To think over the years some of my hard earned cash had gone and helped you. Or should I say wasted on you. Grow up you little scum bag.

[Keith Jordan]

What a naughty lad! I imagine his lecturer would give him a l@@k when going through that part of history in class!

[snifferdog]

He does look alarmingly like a girl in those photos He's also alleged to have been in the mob that surrounded Charles & Camilla's car and was under the influence of drugs m'lud. Oh to be a fly on the wall chez Gilmour just now...

[Keith Jordan]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ ... ph-flag.do

[Salmonberry Compendia]

I wonder if any of the papers attempted an amusing headline such as "Careful with that flag, Eugene".

[ddebil]

Did anyone else notice the placard that someone was carrying, during the BBC news report on this story? It read "Hey pigs! Leave them kids alone!"

[Peter Harold]

Charlie Gilmour? :-o

As far I know, there is not any Gilmour-DNA in this boy. And if I recall correctly, this bloke is Charlie Samson, son of Polly Samson and her previous husband.

Shine on,
Peter Harold

[Flying pig437]

Charlie Gilmour?

As far I know, there is not any Gilmour-DNA in this boy. And if I recall correctly, this bloke is Charlie Samson, son of Polly Samson and her previous husband.

Shine on,
Peter Harold

you'll never make a tabloid journalist you won't!

[snifferdog]

He was arrested this morning...for attempted criminal damage and violent disorder