A volunteer police officer, identified as Maya Hadzhipetkova, has come under fire after a video surfaced online showing her confrontation with a Christian street singer in London. The incident occurred on Oxford Street over the weekend and has sparked outrage among the public. The officer, who lived in Bulgaria and Cyprus before moving to the UK, is facing backlash after she told the singer, 20-year-old Harmonie London, that she was not allowed to sing church songs outside of church grounds.
Ms Hadzhipetkova, who has worked in various jobs in the capital including as a pub manager and a Barista Maestro at Costa Coffee, has now become the subject of criticism for her actions. Her LinkedIn profile states that she manages a team of workers at Costa Coffee.
Photos on her social media accounts also show her enjoying a jet-setting lifestyle, traveling to destinations such as Dubai, Egypt, and Paris. The officer has also owned multiple pets in the last 15 years, including snakes, rabbits, and cats.
The incident on Oxford Street has caused a significant backlash, with former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe calling for the officer to be “struck off from the voluntary force”. She stated that the officer had clearly misunderstood the law and was trying to boss the street singer around.
Others, such as anti-crime campaigner Norman Brennan, also criticized the officer’s actions, stating that it “did not help” restore public support and confidence in the police force. Chief executive of the Christian Concern campaign group, Andrea Williams, also spoke out against the incident, stating that the singer, who brings “harmony to the streets”, should be supported and not silenced.
A volunteer police officer in the UK tells a woman she can’t sing church songs outside of church pic.twitter.com/RmgQ7M6FFK
— Orwell’s Ghost (@ghostbrowser8) January 29, 2024
Former Metropolitan Police detective Peter Bleksley highlighted the incident as an example of “lawless Britain”, while others commented on the fact that the officer should have been dealing with actual crime instead. Ms London, the singer involved, has a significant online following with over 300,000 subscribers on YouTube. She regularly performs worship music on the streets and has become well-known for it. Her latest video, titled “Unpaid Volunteer Officer Doesn’t Like Gospel Songs”, has been viewed over 4 million times in just one day.
In the video, Ms Hadzhipetkova can be seen telling Ms London that she is not allowed to sing church songs outside of the church grounds. The singer protests, stating that she is allowed to do so, but the officer continues to insist that she needs authorization from the church to perform such songs. The onlookers, who were filming the incident, can be heard questioning the officer’s actions and her disregard for the Human Rights Act, which protects freedom of religion. The video ends with the officer sticking her tongue out at Ms London.
Scotland Yard has confirmed that the incident occurred over the weekend on Oxford Street and is now investigating the context in which the officer’s comments were made. They have stated that they will provide an update as soon as possible. According to Westminster City Council policies, the Oxford Street area is a regulated zone for busking and street entertainment. This means that performers must have a license and follow certain rules, such as not causing excessive noise or blocking pavements.
Special constables, like Ms Hadzhipetkova, are volunteer officers who work at least 200 hours annually and have the same powers as regular officers. They are based in one of the 12 basic command units across the 32 London boroughs and are required to wear the same uniform as regular officers.
Their duties include responding to emergency calls, patrolling, tackling criminal activity, and giving evidence in court. Despite the criticism of Ms Hadzhipetkova’s actions, volunteer police officers play a vital role in supporting the work of the regular police force.
