A Conservative MP has written to Will Smith asking him to raise awareness of “one punch assaults” – which can prove fatal – after he hit a comedian live on stage.
On Sunday night, Smith struck Oscars host Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and her buzzcut, comparing the alopecia sufferer to “GI Jane 2”.
The actor won the Academy Award for best actor for his role in King Richard just moments later. He did apologise to the “Academy and my fellow nominees” for his actions, claiming: “Love will make you do crazy things.”
Amid the ongoing fallout, Dehenna Davison MP shared the letter she had written to the star on Twitter where she called for him to join her anti-violence campaign.
She said she was “very disappointed to see you use your substantial platform not for good but for the promotion of violence” after he struck Rock.
Davison explained that she shares his “deep desire” to protect her loved ones, especially as her father was “killed by a single blow to the head” when she was just 13.
The Tory MP said this turned her life upside down, but encouraged her into politics: “I wanted to do all I could to help ensure other children wouldn’t have to experience losing a parent, missing school to sit through court or attending years of therapy, as I did.”
She set up the All Party Parliamentary Group on One Punch Assaults, which works with the charity One Punch UK and aims to raise awareness that “one punch can kill”.
Davison said these “deaths happen globally” and “each victim leaves behind a grieving family and loved ones struggling to come to terms with these horrible events”.
She said: “This is why I invite you to speak to the All Party Parliamentary Group on One Punch Assaults to discuss our campaign and to hear the stories of those who have lost loved ones to a single punch.”
Davison concluded that by raising awareness, they would “help stop others experiencing the heartache faced by my family and far too many others.”
Read her full letter here:
The LA Police Department (LAPD) has confirmed that Rock will not be pressing charges against Smith after the on-stage altercation.
The Academy has seemingly distanced itself from the occasion after releasing a statement which read: “The Academy does not condone violence of any form.”
Since Smith’s acceptance speech, he and his family have not directly addressed the incident.
The star was seen celebrating his success later at the Oscars afterparty, dancing and singing along to some of his old songs with his family.
His son Jaden did tweet, “And that’s how we do it”, but it’s not clear exactly what that is in relation to.
On Sunday night, Smith struck Oscars host Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and her buzzcut, comparing the alopecia sufferer to “GI Jane 2”.
The actor won the Academy Award for best actor for his role in King Richard just moments later. He did apologise to the “Academy and my fellow nominees” for his actions, claiming: “Love will make you do crazy things.”
Amid the ongoing fallout, Dehenna Davison MP shared the letter she had written to the star on Twitter where she called for him to join her anti-violence campaign.
She said she was “very disappointed to see you use your substantial platform not for good but for the promotion of violence” after he struck Rock.
Davison explained that she shares his “deep desire” to protect her loved ones, especially as her father was “killed by a single blow to the head” when she was just 13.
The Tory MP said this turned her life upside down, but encouraged her into politics: “I wanted to do all I could to help ensure other children wouldn’t have to experience losing a parent, missing school to sit through court or attending years of therapy, as I did.”
She set up the All Party Parliamentary Group on One Punch Assaults, which works with the charity One Punch UK and aims to raise awareness that “one punch can kill”.
Davison said these “deaths happen globally” and “each victim leaves behind a grieving family and loved ones struggling to come to terms with these horrible events”.
She said: “This is why I invite you to speak to the All Party Parliamentary Group on One Punch Assaults to discuss our campaign and to hear the stories of those who have lost loved ones to a single punch.”
Davison concluded that by raising awareness, they would “help stop others experiencing the heartache faced by my family and far too many others.”
Read her full letter here:
The LA Police Department (LAPD) has confirmed that Rock will not be pressing charges against Smith after the on-stage altercation.
The Academy has seemingly distanced itself from the occasion after releasing a statement which read: “The Academy does not condone violence of any form.”
Since Smith’s acceptance speech, he and his family have not directly addressed the incident.
The star was seen celebrating his success later at the Oscars afterparty, dancing and singing along to some of his old songs with his family.
His son Jaden did tweet, “And that’s how we do it”, but it’s not clear exactly what that is in relation to.
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