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The Tuts make dubious allegations after Brixton Windmill gig

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Very shocking. I'd like to hear the full story, but no matter what the provocation, physical assault and racist abuse is bang out of order. There was "a disagreement over a bottle" apparently, but how that escalated is unclear...
 
Reading through all the tweets again it sounds like someone/some people may have got drunk, may have got told off landlord, big brawl/argument ensues and gets out of hand....seen it so many times before.

There's nothing stopping the complainant going back to the police and reporting it again, with details of witnesses.
 
I'm a bit dubious about all this, the band's original tweet last night didn't mention racism at all, and from what I know of Saemus it's not the kind of thing he'd ever say.

Just looking at the band's facebook page too and going by what they say about themselves, it seems that trouble follows them around quite a bit. :hmm:

Still waiting to hear back from my friend who was there, I'll reserve any judgement until then.
 
http://silentpunk.tumblr.com/post/26551193275/i-know-it-should-be-the-least-of-my-concerns

I know it should be the least of my concerns

But how annoying is it that after my friend was assaulted and racially abused last night by the landlord of the pub she did a gig at, some people are talking about ‘his motivation’ … as if it was only bad if he did it for ‘no reason’: ‘oh, unprovoked?’ like if he just flipped. Obviously he was an angry man and everyone knows that, it’s just insulting that she would have to go over the reasons that it ‘might have been justified’.

It’s never justified.

If it was in self defense it would not be assault. This was assault. It was a huge man and a tiny woman. He used racist language in front of the police and they did nothing.

It doesn’t matter if Nadia was a mouthy cow, which she often is and it doesn’t matter to me that he told the police he was trying to ‘eject’ her from his establishment, you don’t punch women, you don’t try to rip their hair out.

FYI he verbally abused her, she said ‘fuck off’, (as you would) then he went to take a swing at her. Supposedly it was because she brought her own booze to the gig instead of buying his overpriced shit. People managed to pull him off her but he grabbed a chunk of her hair after chasing her around the room. He was very aggressive and grabbed a few other people when they tried to confront him. When the police came he even called her a ‘paki’ and they did nothing because apparently you’re allowed to beat people up in your own establishment if you call it ‘forced ejection’ or something hilarious like that.
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From someone who was there: apparently the landlord was unhappy with the singer of the Tuts bringing her own alcohol in and drinking it onstage (maybe buy the band drinks next time?) so instead of just saying this to her he rather weirdly got up in her face calling her 'an arsehole' seemingly appropos of nothing. She had no idea who this guy was, said 'fuck off' as you would, and he then proceeded to attack her physically. Several men had to pull him off her as she tried to get away but he chased her and grabbed her by the hair. He grabbed or manhandled anyone who confronted him after that (e.g. asking for an apology, calling him sick, calling him a dick etc.). Someone called the police, but by the time they arrived, Nadia, the singer had been taken away by her friends because she was in quite a state. So she was in no condition to make a statement. A few of us made statements to the police but they didn't seem that bothered, even when the landlord started ranting about 'that paki' in front of them.

It was all very very upsetting, there was no 'fight', no 'heated argument', no drunken gig goers just a very violent racist/sexist man looking for an excuse to hit a small young woman.
If you give a shit, boycott the Windmill and tell people what happened.
 
Minnie_the_Minx said:
The Windmill is perfectly reasonably priced
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xvrqO.jpg


:facepalm:
 
JenCMW said:
From someone who was there: apparently the landlord was unhappy with the singer of the Tuts bringing her own alcohol in and drinking it onstage (maybe buy the band drinks next time?) so instead of just saying this to her he rather weirdly got up in her face calling her 'an arsehole' seemingly appropos of nothing. She had no idea who this guy was, said 'fuck off' as you would, and he then proceeded to attack her physically. Several men had to pull him off her as she tried to get away but he chased her and grabbed her by the hair. He grabbed or manhandled anyone who confronted him after that (e.g. asking for an apology, calling him sick, calling him a dick etc.). Someone called the police, but by the time they arrived, Nadia, the singer had been taken away by her friends because she was in quite a state. So she was in no condition to make a statement. A few of us made statements to the police but they didn't seem that bothered, even when the landlord started ranting about 'that paki' in front of them.

It was all very very upsetting, there was no 'fight', no 'heated argument', no drunken gig goers just a very violent racist/sexist man looking for an excuse to hit a small young woman.
If you give a shit, boycott the Windmill and tell people what happened.
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Thanks for posting. If you/the singer feel that strongly about it, you should go back to the police and report it again, with details of the witnesses. It's generally better to report these things in a calm situation, rather than in the heat of the moment IMO. A lot of people are very supportive of the Windmill and probably won't join a boycott without hearing the other side of the story. As stated above, there's never an excuse for physical/racial abuse....it's just sad how these things happen when drink is involved.

Free the weed!
 
I neglect to see the Windmill's very good drinks pricing as being justification for what happened. Those drinks were two cokes so lets not go bad about the great prices either.

I am very sad that after so much testimony members of this forum seem to think that these are "rumours" and are "dubious". I along with others will be fully boycotting the venue and have no intention of going back. A show has already been pulled today and last nights show was very close to being pulled half-way through.

Anyway, I tried to write an objective view of what happened last night. As someone who was personally involved I know this is difficult but I have tried my best.


The events that occurred, as far as I am aware, were between the following people – Seamus, Windmill landlord, Nadia, The Tuts singer, Matthew, Me hi!, and Perkie, fellow musician friend of The Tuts not in the band. I should state at this point that beyond being a fan of The Tuts and living very near them, which is quite a novelty if you are from a Middlesex suburb, prior to the gig I had never met them.

Throughout The Tuts set Nadia, from the band, had clearly had a lot to drink, she offered members of the audience a sip of her vodka Smirnoff bottle and,most hilariously, asked one my friends his ethnic origin to which her response was “nice”. At this point nothing happened, the vodka remained on the stage and the band continued their set.

Following the set me and my girlfriend went to the bar to get a drink we then changed our mind and decided to buy an EP from Harriet from the band first. Nadia then came over to us and we introduced ourselves. We then told both of them that we would see them outside later before moving towards the bar again.

Whilst our backs were turned Seamus had gone up to Nadia and began shouting at her due to her consuming alcohol which she had not brought at the venue. A shouting match then began which continued to escalate and eventually Seamus starting point his finger into Nadia's face declaring that she was an “arsehole”.

Nadia then similarly abused the man back. Seamus then grabbed Nadia physically and when she attempted to fight back he began grabbing at her particularly long hair. Half a dozen people, myself included, then began to try and separate the two which was partially successful.

However, both parties were able to get away from those of us trying to break-up the situation and reach a peaceful resolution and the baiting continued again and a scene which could only be described as being like a Benny Hill sketch followed with Seamus chasing Nadia around a pole. A fellow barman then opened the back door and both then grabbed her, for a time by the hair, and almost physically threw her out of the venue.

These were two fully grown men, Seamus a very bulky man, attempting to take on a young women barley 5 foot tall in her early twenties. This behaviour cannot be justified.

A peaceful resolution was possible and simple by talking to those close who were clearly associated with Nadia, including a middle-aged sober man, who would have understood the venues point of view and held to get her out of the venue without resorting to physically removing her in an arbitrary way.

This event was witnessed by a considerable amount of people who I am sure would describe the event in a similar way.

Me and my girlfriend then left the venue to see if the girl was okay. Seamus came out of the venue for no more reason, it seemed, than to gloat about his achievement. Both me and Perkie went up to him to complain, Perkie in defence of her friend and myself to say that I was disgusted at seeing a young woman get attacked and that because of what I saw I would not be going to the venue again. I would say that I was potentially shouting and being authoritative but I would personally say non-violent and non-aggressive. My hands, for example, were not placed on Seamus or anywhere near him. I am aware that this could be interpreted differently by different people.

Perkie reported being man-handled and had her arm hurt. I can report that Seamus grabbed and stretched my shirt, pulled me towards him and attempted to hit me before himself and me were pulled apart. I should note that after Seamus attempted to attack Perkie and myself Nadia, as her last act before she left the scene, began another shouting match between herself in Seamus where Nadia did end up slapping him. Whilst understandable in context this was inexcusable.

There are also reports of Seamus making racist comments while the police were present and within earshot – the P word towards a woman of asian persuasion not Paddy as some have suggested! - and sexism, which I am not aware of and didn't witness it myself. The police argued that because it was Seamus's establishment the amount of “reasonable force” that is deemed acceptable is at the discretion of the venue and because of that they could not act. I was told that if I wanted I could pursue to case for the attack upon myself but I was told that nothing would come of it, which I feel is fair I wouldn't have wanted to push charges for something so trivial.

However, I would have appreciated if he was to get a telling off from the authorities which did not happen and I hope the economic boycott of myself and others will be felt by the venue.

I have attempted to be as non-bias as possible but I am aware that as I am personally involved this will be difficult. The Windmill, as a venue, is one of my favourites to go to and I personally made an hour and a half journey from Ickenham in Hillingdon just so I could be at that show to see The Tuts and Young Romance.

The MJ Hibbett//Let's Wrestle show for Aid for Japan I saw at the venue along with the Milky Wimpshake headline set at the Oddbox Weekender are shows that I will remember for the rest of my life and have given me fantastic memories. I have never felt bad about buying more drinks than I usually would at the Windmill as I have thought that it was a nice independent venue where I felt particularly safe. The booker, Tim, who has emailed me appears to be a really nice guy as well which is backed up by everything I have read about him over the last day. Because of this I am very sad about what has happened.
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ok, in no way defending the guy for his language or actions, but the band normally get a rider (in all the times i've played there i always have and the bands always have) and if you take outside drinks into a pub you're going to get thrown out. acting like a dick about it is going to get you thrown out harder. i've no sympathy for her on that front, expecting special treatment to be a dick in the guy's pub is really shitty. what i do have a lot of anger about is racist language. i've never, in all my time there, seen anything like that and would be really angry if that was true.
 
I was the promoter at the venue the Windmill last night.

Here's what I know. The Tuts finished their set, their singer was a little drunk I'd say. She had apparently brought in her own bottle of Vodka (unknown to me). I had stepped outside to get the next band ready etc. Then I see the singer and friends being thrown out of the side door.

After asking what happened I was told their was an altercation between the landlord and the singer. I was outside so can't say what happened with any certainty. I have no idea what was said and who did what. At some point after this the police were called. I wasn't party to these conversations. The singer had left when they arrived although a few friends/other band members were still there. The Landlord was involved in a heated exchange with some people at the front of the venue when his actions were questioned. The Landlord said everyone bar the singer was allowed to come back in.

I gave the other two bands that were left to play the option of cancelling the show, they thought it best the show went on (One of the bands was playing London for the first time and are over from the USA).

The Tuts arrived 15 minutes before they were due on stage. There was no rider as I prefer to pay the bands decent money than spend it on cheap booze. If I was to provide a rider, I'd have less money to pay the bands. That's the way all of my shows at The Windmill have run previously with no issues.

As a promoter I've booked and enjoyed the venue many times with no trouble. Sadly, last night will be the last time I use the venue for my shows as I'll not be able to get my crowd back at the venue.
 
actually, i was defending some of his actions. i think it's reasonable to use force to remove someone from your pub who is refusing to leave or causing trouble.
 
May I just interject here and say that I find it really creepy that my twitter has been- as someone put- 'mockingly screenshotted' and the events discussed here yet no one contacted me directly via twitter for any clarification. As has been suggested by my friends on twitter, I find the attitude of this forum thread EXTREMELY sexist and quick to dismiss the events as 'a brawl' simply because The Windmill is in your area.

No matter the reasons for the events and whether or not you personally regard the landlord's actions as justified or unjustified, it all boils down to the fact I witnessed a fully grown man assault a woman and I no longer feel safe at The Windmill. This is not the first time there have been reports of unprovoked aggression from the landlord and I feel upset that his violent and aggressive actions managed to make me feel unsafe in a venue that I have previously enjoyed attending.

My comment regarding the price of drinks was completely misinterpreted here- I am not arguing whether the bar is reasonably priced or not as this is irrelevant. I was simply stating that I regret and do not wish to contribute financially to such a venue, putting money in this man's pocket.
 
Also, RiverDrew, I have completely NO understanding about why MY twitter specifically has been screenshotted yet other people have simply been quoted. I assume this is because I am female and seen as an easy target for an internet argument or abuse campaign. You were not at The Windmill last night. You have no connection to the event but you seem to be disproportionately obsessed with it.
 
RadRadRad said:
Women gets attacked by hair. WHAT A BITCH.
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Getting pissed on your own booze in a pub, then acting like a dick when pulled up on it. I'm not defending the racist language, but she'd have been thrown out of most pubs for behaving like that.
 
I know, I can see I'm now being called a sexist by your mates on twitter for using your words "non-consensually" despite the fact you've posted them in the public domain for ANYONE to see. :facepalm:
 
simsimsim said:
Also, RiverDrew, I have completely NO understanding about why MY twitter specifically has been screenshotted yet other people have simply been quoted. I assume this is because I am female and seen as an easy target for an internet argument or abuse campaign. You were not at The Windmill last night. You have no connection to the event but you seem to be disproportionately obsessed with it.
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drew is just passing on what he has found
i think you have the wrong end of the stick

and yeah, what you say on twitter is, err public, if you didn't know already
 
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