FIGHT Shatters Peace of Hartley Library

Exam season seems to be getting the worst of students as Hartley saw ANOTHER fight break out.

At approximately 5:30 pm yesterday, a fight broke out between international students on level 2 of Hartley library. An anonymous witness who was involved in the disturbance has detailed a play-by-play account of the fighting exclusively for the Soton Tab.

The witness claims that an unknown international student approached his group on level 1 of Hartley library, and proceeded to grab the shirt of another international student, spat in his face and asked loudly in Chinese if the victim would “Like to go upstairs for a chat”.

According to the witness, the student went upstairs with the spitter to the lobby on level 2 so as to avoid further confrontation. The student who was spat upon then asked his assailant: “what’s going on?” This enraged the attacker who then struck the student in the face, breaking his glasses and knocking him to the ground.

A third international student then appeared from upstairs and joined the affray. The assailant, apparently now inconsolable with fury, pushed the student hard, saying “It’s not your business, don’t get involved.” The student, who had attempted to break up the scuffle, then retaliated with a punch in kind, beginning a fight which quickly degenerated into grappling.

The receptionist’s attention was soon alerted at which point all students involved, including our witness, were apprehended by four security guards and led from the premises.

The witness has stated that the attacker was not known to him or anybody involved in the scuffle, and that he and his group were sitting silently working at a table when the attacker approached. The violence does not appear to be gang related.