Video shows moment fight sparked by 'racial abuse' forces Motown legend Martha Reeves to walk off stage

Hannah Al-Othman4 September 2015

This footage captures the moment a fight interrupted Motown legend Martha Reeves during a gig in Greenwich.

The Motown legend was forced off stage at the Brooklyn Bowl when the fracas broke out last night.

The video shows the 74-year-old singer attempting to calm the group, who were brawling just in the front of the stage.

She says: "We don't like that going on while we're doing a show.

"I don't think anybody should start fighting, especially when we're trying to perform up here."

Motown legend: Martha Reeves at the show in Greenwich
Dave Burke

She is then forced to stop singing, and asks for help to calm the situation down, but the fight continues regardless.

The camera cuts away before Reeves, and her band the Vandellas, decide to leave the stage when they see two people lying injured on the floor.

The row allegedly started after a man in the audience shouted the 'N' word.

Journalist Charles Thomson, who was in the crowd, tweeted: "Man in crowd twice shouted the N-word. Black girl reported him to security, who tried to eject him. Then he & pals tried to attack the girl."

Despite announcing as she left the stage that the show was over, Reeves returned after a five minute break to the opening bars of her signature hit "Dancing In The Streets".

Officers attended and a woman, aged 40 years alleged that she had been assaulted at the location.

Police and paramedics were called to the scene, where a 40-year-old woman alleged she had been assaulted.

A 24-year-old woman who had received a minor head injury was being tended to by paramedics, and was taken into custody after receiving treatment at hospital.

Police officers established that four people were believed to have made racial remarks against two other people who had attended the event, leading to an altercation.

Two men aged 25 and 24 were also arrested for alleged racially aggravated public order.

All three suspects are currently in custody at a south London police station.

A spokeswoman for Brooklyn Bowl said: "Brooklyn Bowl takes great pride in hosting a wide and diverse range of music and talented artists from all genres, including the legendary Martha Reeves, who has now graced our London stage twice.

"We encourage all who attend our venue to be respectful of the artists and their fellow concert-goers, and will do all we can to protect our artists and guests from the actions of those few individuals who don't show the same respect.

"We spoke to Ms. Reeves post-show and she expressed that the love of the crowd was far more important than the actions of a few individuals, and we look forward to having her back again in the near future.”

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