Student attacked by gang after leaving campus event
JASON LOZIER
An Alcuin first-year student was assaulted by four fellow students whilst heading home after the campus event, Rave D.
The attack took place at the Alcuin end of Derwent Bridge, following an interrogation by the four assailants regarding the victim’s college, accent and background outside Derwent Bar just minutes before.
The victim, who wishes to remain unnamed, was pushed to the floor where four male students proceeded to stamp on his face and kick him in the back and arms. The attackers were then pulled off by another student. They then fled the scene shouting expletives at the victim.
Describing his reaction, he stated: “I was just so surprised it was happening. I was in no state to make any connection as to why it was occurring. I just froze up.” One housemate of the target described him as returning “dazed and distressed.”
The injured party, who sustained a black eye and heavy bruising, was unable to identify the aggressors. The student who broke up the scuffle, having failed in calming the victim down, refused to give any more detail.
This incident comes after last year’s spate of attacks during welcome week and the subsequent effort to up security on campus.
When later questioned the victim elaborated, “You are often warned to be careful and have your wits about you when in town and when dealing with locals, but the campus should be the one place where you are able to be a little less on your guard. This was not the sort of thing I expected to happen at the York Uni of all places.”
YUSU’s Welfare Officer, Ben Humphrys, in response to the issue of safety on campus, said, “Relative to other Universities both York campus and town are safe for students. This incident highlights, however, the fact that anyone walking by themselves at night time is vulnerable to violent crime and the need for students to be conscious of their safety on and off campus.”
University Press Officer James Reed commented: “Our security team has not been made aware of this incident. The University campus is a safe place but when incidents do occur it is important they are reported so the appropriate measures can be taken.”
The University went on to comment that “campus security is continually under review. The security team will be expanded by an additional three members of staff this year and a further three members of staff will be employed in 2010-11.
Six security staff will be on campus during the night in addition to the 24 hours porters services. This makes a total of 12 members of security and portering staff monitoring the campus at night-time.”
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The same thing happened to me a few weeks back. A group of 4 southern lads from the university tried twice to start fights with me outside vanbrugh on the basis that I was northern.
This is terrible, these insecure violent people should be found and thrown out of the uni.
Why the hell are these chavs even at Uni?
The YUSU’s Welfare Officer has shown himself to be weak willed, he should be calling for justice!
Ugh