X Factor contestant claims he was assaulted for ‘being gay’ by nightclub bouncers
Bradley Hunt was escorted away by police. (Instagram/YouTube)
A former X Factor contestant has claimed he was targeted in by homophobic bouncers in a Birmingham, England nightclub.
Bradley Hunt, who appeared on The X Factor in 2016 as one-half of Bratavio, claims he was attacked by security “whilst washing my hands” in a bathroom at Rosie’s Nightclub on Broad Street, the city’s main nightlife strip.
He claimed that tensions had flared as he became sick of receiving “constant abuse” for his sexuality and said he was frustrated with police who “laughed” when he tried to report it.
He admitted to subsequently hurling a bottle of strawberry-flavoured Volvic water at the nightclub, and in startling footage uploaded to his Instagram account Monday (13 September), Hunt can be seen being escorted out of the club by police with his hands behind his back.
“I was NOT arrested,” Bradley wrote in the lengthy caption. “If I don’t laugh then I’ll cry. YES I was very drunk, but it doesn’t change the fact I was attacked in the toilets last night by the bouncers of a nightclub.
“Have you ever been beaten where they laugh like you are not even a person?”
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X Factor star: ‘Everyone gets away with homophobic abuse in my case’
Speaking to The Sun, Hunt said a bouncer approached him as he left the cubicle and barked: “Get out now, you queer.”
“He dragged me,” he claimed, “he then kicked me in the back while the other one laughed and also kicked and then other one kicked again.
“It was like three strong kicks made me go flying into the doorway.”
After bar staff “blanked” him, he went outside to inform police officers.
The 28-year-old explained on Instagram how he was taken home in a police car and banned from Broad Street for 24 hours following the alleged incident.
Hunt claimed that police officers outside the club laughed as he tried to “calmly” explain what happened. “I felt dismissed,” he recalled to The Sun, “like a piece of s**t, I had just been kicked.
“Everyone gets away with homophobic abuse in my case.”
“The police don’t ever help me,” Hunt can be heard ranting in the video he shared to his social media. “Leave me alone. The police don’t ever do anything for me. The police never do anything.”
After throwing the bottle of water at the club, “all police chased me as I ran and ended up jumping on top of me,” Hunt said.
“While I walked to the police van in cuffs I was distressed and all I could see was people laughing and filming me.
“They don’t understand the daily trauma of abuse or homophobic abuse and the story behind my episode.
“I shouldn’t of retaliated with throwing a bottle of water but I wanted to be heard for a split second.
“I am happy I told the police what I thought and showing the real Pride in standing up for yourself.”
“We dispersed a man from Broad Street for public order around 3am Sunday morning (12 September),” a spokesperson for the West Midlands Police told PinkNews. “He was returned home safely by officers.
“We have not received a formal report regarding a homophobic attack in a nightclub earlier that night. We encourage anyone who has experienced this to report it immediately so we can begin looking into it for them and offer support services.
“We don’t want the public to feel fearful reporting incidents to us and work with partner agencies and representative groups to offer a range of support services and guidance.
“We are proud to police our diverse communities and will not stand for hatred directed towards people because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or gender identity.”
PinkNews contacted Rosie’s for comment.
