Rainton Arena: Girl in viral video thought she was ‘going to die’

A teenager says she thought she was going to die during an altercation with a bouncer.

A viral video shows 14-year-old Amarii being ejected from the teen disco at Sunderland’s Rainton Arena.

The clip, seen millions of times online, shows the doorman with his hands around Amarii’s neck – she says she “couldn’t breathe” at the time.

Rainton Arena says it’s co-operating with police, and the security company it uses has sacked the staff member.

In the video, Amarii can be seen being pushed out of the building by a bouncer.

Shouts of “get off her” and screams come from behind the camera.

Speaking to BBC Newsbeat, Amarii says she got into an argument with door staff when they refused to let her re-enter the venue.

She says two bouncers came over to calm the situation, until a third “came out of nowhere” and “started screaming and shoving”.

Her mum, Gemma, say things escalated when Amarii got upset at being pushed.

Gemma says Amarii “got a bit mouthy” but wasn’t “any kind of threat to anybody”, and the reaction was over the top.

Amarii says the experience, and the online reaction to it, has left her struggling to sleep.

She says she no longer likes being “in crowded spaces”, adding: “Things that I found funny just aren’t funny any more.”

Gemma says her daughter is now “frightened to be in the house on her own”.

She says Amari, who sleeps in a loft bedroom at their home, will often call her in the night.

“One o’clock in the morning, Two o’clock in the morning, saying ‘mam, I still can’t get to sleep.”

Amarii’s had lots of support but there’s also been some negative reaction to the video online, with some questioning whether Amarii was drunk.

“The children had to be breathalysed before they went into the event, so how could she have been drunk?” Gemma says.

“She wasn’t drunk. It’s just ridiculous that people are actually trying to find some kind of blame.

“She’s had posts saying she deserved it because of the way that she was dressed, which is just absolutely outrageous.”

In response to the online posts, Rainton Arena announced on Facebook that it had referred the case to Northumbria Police.

“The venue will not accept this type of behaviour towards anyone,” it wrote.

“This is not how anyone should be made to feel at any event.

“Staff and event organisers are all parents, and we are not happy with the actions of the individual.

“The child’s parents have been contacted and shown all CCTV as we will be fully co-operating with the parents and police.”

Northumbria Police says it’s aware of an alleged assault and its inquiries are ongoing.

The force says no-one is believed to have been seriously injured, and urges anyone with information to get in touch.

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