LONDON: Tyler Dooley, nephew of Britain’s newest royal Meghan Markle, tooka knife to a London nightclub and then blamed Donald Trump’s warnings aboutthe dangers of the British capital, The Sun reported on Monday.
The daily said Dooley, 25, a cannabis farmer who was not invited to theroyal wedding in Windsor, handed the four-inch blade to a bouncer outsidethe club in Kingston, southwest London.
London’s Metropolitan Police did not name Dooley but confirmed they werecalled by security to the club “after a man openly declared he had a knifeas he attempted to enter the club.”
The incident happened just hours after Saturday’s wedding of Prince Harryand Meghan.
“When officers arrived at 01.55 hrs enquiries led them to a hotel inKingston and two men in their 20s were spoken to by officers in connectionwith the incident.
“One of the men also voluntarily surrendered a noxious spray. Both men, whowere visitors to the UK, were warned about their actions,” the statementsaid.
“Neither was arrested, no further action was taken and enquiries arecomplete,” it added.
It is illegal to carry any knife in a public place in England except forfolding pocket knives with blades measuring three inches (7.62 centimetres)or less.
Police commander Sally Benatar was quoted in the statement as saying: “Theitems were handed over voluntarily and there was no ongoing risk so theinvestigation was closed with warnings given.”
The Sun quoted Dooley as telling someone outside the club: “I just broughtit because Donald Trump said London was like a warzone. I had it forprotection.”
When contacted by a Sun reporter, the paper said Dooley “hid inside a bincupboard” at his hotel.
Dooley flew into London last week with his brother and mother, the ex-wifeof Markle’s half-brother Thomas, who was also not invited to the nuptials.
The run-up to the royal wedding was overshadowed by the media circussurrounding Markle’s family.
Her father pulled out at the last minute after getting caught up in apaparazzi scandal and then undergoing a heart operation while her motherwas the only family member to attend.
Trump has stirred controversy with repeated references to security issuesin Britain.
In a speech at the National Rifle Association in Texas this month, hetalked about knife crime in London, comparing a hospital in the city to a”war zone.”
Knife-related crimes rose by 23 percent in London last year and a spate ofstabbings and shootings have left more than 50 people dead this year. -APP/AFP