The former frontman of Savage Garden, Darren Hayes, has been
arrested for an alleged racist attack on a waiter at a Thai
restaurant in London.
Hayes fronted police last Friday night in London, where he was
arrested for the alleged racial abuse of a staff member at Busaba
Eathai in Wardour Street, in London's West End, on July 22. The
attack did not involve physical violence, but is believed to have
been directed at a male member of staff. He was released on
bail.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We can confirm that a 35-year-old
man was arrested by Westminster police on suspicion of racially
abusing a member of staff.
"He was arrested after voluntarily attending a Central London
police station by appointment. He has been released on bail pending
further inquiries, until the 21st of September."
A manager at the Soho restaurant, who did not want to be named,
confirmed the incident and said that it involved a verbal attack by
Hayes on a member of staff.
He said restaurant staff reported the incident to police, who took
statements on July 23. The victim had returned to work, and the
matter was now in the hands of the police.
Hayes is due to start a two-week Australian tour, titled The Time
Machine Tour, in Perth on October 13.
The incident follows Hayes' public criticism of Prime Minister John
Howard while on a visit to Australia a week ago, for his stance on
homosexuality.
Hayes hit out at the need for his partner, Richard Cullen, whom he
married in London last year, to fly to Australia on a tourist visa.
"I'm Australian and the way the law sits, I can't bring my partner
home as my partner. That to me is an infringement of my civil
rights a very un-Australian thing," Hayes was reported as
saying.
Neither Hayes nor his management were available for comment last
night.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/08/22/1187462280891.html