P!nk: Mother of boy, 7, with Down's Syndrome left fuming after being 'kicked out' of London gig
A mother has said that she and her seven-year-old child with Down’s Syndrome were treated “like criminals” after she claims they were kicked out of a P!nk gig because he wouldn’t sit in his seat.
Vanessa Vasey, 48, was attending the concert at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday, June 15 with her son Jesse, a treat for the young boy who idolises the ‘Trustfall’ singer. The MailOnline reported that Vasey splashed out £630 for special hospitality tickets to the show, which she said she chose because it included access to a lounge which she could take Jesse to if he could not sit for too long.
However, as the support act took to the stage, a blind came down in the lounge to encourage people to their seats. Vasey told MailOnline: “On the day, I didn't take his disability buggy as the ticket said there was no storage.
“But when it came to sitting in our seats, Jesse didn't want to. And in the lounge area, the blinds had been pulled down. So we stood up by our seats and Jesse was dancing.
“We weren't causing any problems - Jesse is 3ft tall and was entertaining everyone. Then six security guards showed up telling us we had to move. When I explained about Jesse's disabilities, they said there was nothing they could do - we either had to sit in the seats or leave.”
The fuming mother called the encounter “horrific”, adding: “I argued our case and the only thing they offered us was to sit in the soundproof sensory room where Jesse wouldn't have heard any of the act and instead, would watch it on a screen, take our seats, or leave.”
Vasey said that Jesse was left upset by the encounter after 10 security staff surrounded them when they decided to leave. The young fan left the stadium along with his mum just as the pop superstar came on stage at 8.45pm.
Vasey, who said that they were told that people had complained about her son’s position, said: “All Jesse has now is memories of me crying, being upset and angry and the whole intimidation and people being unkind to us. I think Pink would be disgusted if she found out.”
A spokesperson for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium said: “We are aware of the complaint that has been posted on Facebook, which has not been received directly. As a venue that prides itself on providing fully inclusive facilities for all, we are extremely sorry to hear that Jesse did not enjoy a positive experience at Saturday night’s concert.
“Following further investigation, we can confirm that Ms Vasey was offered assistance by our Safeguarding and Welfare teams throughout the night to provide Jesse with a comfortable viewing experience, including access to our dedicated Sensory Room. The offers of assistance were declined by Ms Vasey and the party chose to leave the event.
“Although our records show Ms Vasey purchased her tickets through Ticketmaster, we shall contact Ms Vasey directly. The safety and security of all event attendees remains our upmost priority.”