(NEW YORK) - Rupert Perry, president/CEO of EMI Europe, publicly apologized recently for the incident at last week's Brit Awards, in which Chumbawamba drummer Danbert Nobacon dumped a bucket of ice water on U.K. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.|

Describing the dousing as "a personal political protest," Perry added, "No music company can control the political views of its artists, but we wish to sincerely apologize to the Deputy Prime Minister, Mrs. Prescott, and the other guests for the anguish caused."

The BPI also apologized, saying the incident was "offensive and unacceptable." Chumbawamba is signed to the EMI Group outside North America via a deal with EMI Germany. No apology for the dousing has come from Chumbawamba, currently on tour in Japan; its management, Doug Smith Associates, declined to comment.

The band, which admitted the incident was a publicity stunt, attempted to justify it nonetheless. In a recent statement the group claimed: "If John Prescott has the nerve to turn up at events such as the Brit Awards in a vain attempt to make Labour seem cool and trendy, then he deserves all we can throw at him.