A student has complained of ‘a complete disregard for safety and welfare’ after they suffered an anxiety attack at an allegedly overcrowded union event.

The incident occurred at the ‘Road to Leeds Arrival Party’ in Leeds University Union’s Stylus venue on 20th September.

The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, told The Gryphon that their anxiety disorder triggered a panic attack, brought on by the large amount of people in the venue. When the student attempted to leave via a rear exit, accompanied by a friend, security blocked their path, with security reportedly asking them ‘why had they even gone to a club if they had anxiety issues’.

An LUU source told this newspaper that the event may have been an ‘issue with the event being over-crowded’, and that ‘monitoring of numbers coming in and out was not adequate’.

Lawrence Thompson, President of Mind Matters society, has expressed ‘deep concern’ over this situation. In a statement he said, ‘This represents an unacceptable response to mental health difficulties: a lack of compassion exacerbated by ignorance has meant an already difficult situation was made worse.’

‘It is also inconsistent with the values of inclusivity and compassion which makes LUU one of the best Unions in the country.’

All staff at Leeds University Union have training in dealing with people who suffer from mental health issues, but sometimes external staff are brought in for larger events. These staff are not guaranteed to have such training.

Since the incident, Mind Matters have put forward a Better Union idea to ensure all security personnel are trained and aware of their duty of care to students with mental health difficulties.

When asked for a comment, a Leeds University Union spokesperson said, ‘Student welfare is an absolute priority for the Union, we take all complaints very seriously and we are currently investigating this incident.’

Jake Hookem