Joe Corré burns £5M punk collection in London protest

Joe Corré, son of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and designer Vivienne Westwood, burned his £5 million punk memorabilia collection on a boat on the River Thames near Albert Bridge in Chelsea, London, on Saturday. The collection included rare items such as records, clothing, and posters from the golden age of punk. Corré, a multimillionaire businessman who founded the lingerie brand Agent Provocateur, had previously sold the collection and later repurchased it. The protest targeted London's official celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the Sex Pistols' single 'Anarchy in the UK,' released in November 1976. Corré stated, 'Punk was never meant to be nostalgic. You can't learn to be a punk at a Museum of London workshop.' Mannequins of politicians David Cameron, Theresa May, and George Osborne were also on the boat during the burning. Vivienne Westwood attended and voiced support, calling it 'the first step toward a freer world.' The event was promoted by a professional PR firm, drawing criticism. John Lydon, former Sex Pistols singer and long-time rival of McLaren, called Corré 'a fucking selfish lingerie expert' who should have donated the proceeds to charity or bought guitars for young people.