An Exeter Fresher was handcuffed and put into a police car last Thursday night after being thrown out of The Bridge and getting into an altercation with one of the club’s bouncers.
The student, who asked to remain anonymous, was forcefully ejected from the nightclub late on Thursday evening, after engaging in rowdy behaviour. Consequently, he got involved in a scuffle with the doorman, at which point the police were called in to drive him back to college.
Phil Davidson, owner of The Bridge, explained, “If a student had been behaving badly in the club he would have been asked to leave. Police are often in attendance on Hythe Bridge St. and will assist our door staff with any problem.”
He continued, “In this case there was no physical damage suffered and it would seem that the police took the view that for this student’s own safety they ought to escort him back to his college.”
The student, who was immediately handcuffed, was reportedly abusive towards the officers, shouting “fuck the police” while detained in the police car.
Looking back on the incident, he told Cherwell, “I have no recollection of the event whatsoever: I only realised what happened when, looking for my Bod Card in my pocket to go to brunch the next day (I misakenly thought it was Saturday), I found a note from the police instead describing me as ‘disorderly, intoxicated and argumentative’… At least I knew that they got the right guy.”
An Exeter first year, who was an eyewitness to the events, said, “That’s a pretty handy way of getting back to college! If only it had been after the night out.”
Likewise, another eyewitness from St Benet’s said, “Can’t believe he got put in handcuffs: sign of a good night. Though it’s never a good idea to go head-to-head with a bouncer.”
The student’s Thursday night antics were also met with acclaim from some Oxford graduates. A fresher from St Cross stated, “This almost rivals the Daily Mail story of the Odham teen waking up in Paris. I guess Oxford undergraduates really know how to party.”
A Keble second year, who frequents The Bridge, thought the student’s behaviour was “reprehensible”. She told Cherwell, “I think it’s ridiculous how rowdy students get on nights out. Bouncers have loads to put up with.”
Similarly, a student from Wolfson remarked, “My Thursday nights involve long bouts of solitude churning out page after page of dissertation material. Obviously, something went wrong somewhere along the line. Perhaps I should start coming to Exeter more.”
The Exeter student confirmed, “To be honest, it seems to be becoming quite standard for fresher classicists at Exeter to get arrested after the arrest at Freud’s in Freshers’ Week: only a few more of us to go now.”
He went on, “Thankfully I didn’t get a criminal record, though I might have to give Bridge a miss for the next couple of weeks, and maybe give some of the more sketchy clubs a try instead.”
