A SHOCKING video shows a drunk man’s bizarre “threatening” rant against a stranger having a pint at a pub.
Matt West is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and was enjoying a drink in York Station last month when he was approached by a seemingly intoxicated Scotsman.
The 31-year-old was then subject to a bizarre tirade from the stranger, who appeared to threaten Matt due to his sexuality, before asserting that he is “so straight“.
Video begins with an automated voice reading “A drunk man noticed my rainbow watch strap” as graphic designer Matt points the camera down at the table he is sitting at.
Matt, from Brighton, East Sussex, appears to be mid-conversation with the man, whose silhouette can be seen in the reflection of the table, as he asks: “You don’t like the gays? Give them a bit of a hit?”
The man simply replies: “Well, I like women, how’s that?”
Matt asks: “You like women? Okay.”
Matt then flips the camera around to point at himself as he takes a sip of his pint of beer, which the man appears to notice, slurring: “You can report that and look at me on YouTube or whatever.”
Matt then shakes his head and politely says: “You do you, I don’t mind,” as he smiles back at the drunk stranger.
The man then threateningly murmurs: “You watch yourself, right? Watch yourself.”
Now in a stare-off with the stranger, Matt asks: “Watch myself? What does that mean?”
The man then replies : “Somebody might do that to you,” before apparently making a punching gesture towards Matt.
Matt then asks why someone would do that to which the man simply admits: “They might not.”
The Scotsman then breaks into a bizarre self-affirming rant, claiming: “I’m so straight, okay? So straight.”
Matt replies: “You’re very straight.”
The man says: “Oh, aye.”
Attempting to shut down the conversation, Matt simply replies: “Good for you.”
The man continues to ramble: “All my mates are.”
Matt then replies: “Why do you have to tell me? Why do you have to say it?”
The man then breaks into a barely comprehensible attempt at an explanation, to which a confused Matt simply nods along to, before the man seems to depart, satisfied with their exchange.
Matt uploaded the video to social media last month with the caption: “I’m just trying to have a pint.”
The clip has since received over 6.200 likes and more than 400 comments from users left baffled by the man’s approach.
One user wrote: “Actually sounds to me like someone is a little insecure about their own sexuality. Never ever let people like that take your pride away.”
Another commented: “This must’ve been so stressful I’m so sorry.”
A third said: “‘I’m so straight, so straight’ – not the words of a straight.”
Another replied: “You handled this so well.”
Speaking today Matt said: “I was enjoying a pint at the York Tap in York station, watching the trains pass by while listening to a podcast.
“Suddenly, a noticeably drunk man stumbled over to my table and began trying to strike up a conversation with me, despite the fact that I had my headphones on.
“However, I’m often open to chatting with strangers, so I decided to engage with him.
“Our conversation started with him asking why I was in York, and I explained that I would be moving there soon.
“He mentioned that he was in York to visit his girlfriend. Then, he shifted the topic to football, a subject I wasn’t particularly interested in.
“The man, with a thick Glasgow accent, mentioned that he was a Rangers fan, and in a light-hearted manner, I jokingly asked, ‘Not Celtic, then?’
“His immediate response was, ‘No! I’m a traditionalist, a unionist.’ He went on to inquire, ‘Do you know why? It’s because I’m Protestant.’
“After telling me he was from Glasgow he asked me where I was from, and I responded with ‘Brighton.’
“In reaction, he made a comment about the people in Brighton, accompanied by a gesture of a limp wrist that implied a stereotype.
“It was at this point he noticed my rainbow-coloured watch strap and started making threats which is where the video begins.
“He began by making a comment suggesting harm towards gay people and emphasised his attraction to women.
“I inquired about what he meant by ‘watch myself’, and he gestured as if implying physical harm.
“Perplexed, I asked why someone would want to harm me, and he struggled to come up with a clear response.
“He mentioned having had a confusing moment the previous week or night and started to ramble, though I couldn’t quite comprehend his explanation. This is where the video footage comes to an end.
“After the video he rambles about liking Pink Floyd, it was hard to engage at this point.
“Maybe a minute after the video he finishes his drink and says he has to get his train. He thanks me for the conversation and leaves.
“I initially started filming as a precaution in case the situation escalated; my original intention wasn’t to share the video.
“However, after sharing it with a few friends who commented on how I handled the situation, I considered the idea of uploading it. The purpose behind this was to shed light on the ongoing issue.
“Before this incident, my usual reaction might have been defensive or aggressive, perhaps even choosing to walk away.
“However, I’ve learned that remaining calm and engaging in a composed conversation with the person can often be more effective. In doing so, it’s possible to help them realise the flaws in their argument.
“In the case of this individual, once I gently deconstructed his argument, he seemed unsure of how to respond.”
