Justin Bieber Reportedly Relieved Of Gold Chain In Nightclub Attack
Justin Bieber was attacked by a male clubgoer in a Toronto nightclub in the wee hours of August 31, and reportedly either lost or had a $40,000 gold chain stolen during the melee.
The pop star visited at least two nightclubs with his crew and bodyguards from Friday evening into early Saturday. But, it was at the Union nightclub that things turned ugly and the 19-year-old was physically attacked.
According to TMZ and E! News, an altercation erupted around 3 am (possibly earlier) when Justin left the club’s VIP area to move to the dance floor.
A source told E! News: “He [Bieber] was in the VIP area with his friends for about an hour or so. He was really low-key, seemed to be enjoying himself.”
The purported eyewitness added: “Then, he went down to the dance floor to chat with some pretty girls…when he made his way to the other side of the room he was attacked.”
Some reports state a male clubgoer charged at Justin for no reason and grabbed at his shirt in an apparent attempt to take him down, while others suggest the man was merely an overeager fan.
The Toronto Star quotes Orin Bristol, operations manager at the Uniun who said the clubber just wanted a picture with the singer. “The fan was just a small little guy,” Bristol said. “He wasn’t being aggressive.”
To the manager, Bieber’s bodyguards’ alleged over-reaction was the cause of the ruckus.
“Security was a bit aggressive,” Bristol recalled. “There weren’t punches thrown really; it was more of a shoving match and pushing match.”
Bieber’s security team reportedly dragged the male clubber off the pop prince almost immediately and wrestled the attacker to the floor. Multiple reports state the “Baby” singer got in a few kicks of his own despite being restrained by his bodyguards, which may suggest ‘fan’ interpretations of the clubgoer are mistaken.
The assailant was then escorted out of the club. The police were not called and are not thought to be investigating the incident.
Regarding the alleged disappearance of one of Justin’s gold chains, media reports differ.
According to The Slanted, one of Bieber’s security team inquired with the nightclub’s management about the clubgoer some time after he had been removed reportedly saying, “a guy in a red shirt stole one of Bieber’s gold chains he was wearing.”
Over at Canoe Showbiz, purported eyewitness Joallore Alon, 40, admitted he didn’t see the attack but said he saw the teen star leave through the club’s back exit with his bodyguards headed for a waiting SUV.
“Justin Bieber looked calm, he didn’t look like he was agitated,” Alon said, adding, “Someone was screaming, ‘Where’s his chain? Grab his chain.”
Bieber’s reps have made no comment on either the attack or reports about the gold chain and it’s not known whether it remains at large, has been found, returned, or even went missing in the first place.
On a lighter note, despite being attacked hours earlier Justin did make one Toronto teen’s night when he performed at her sweet sixteen birthday party.
The pop star showed up at Erica Shnaider’s 16th birthday celebration thrown by Toronto billionaire Alex Shnaider and his wife at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Bieber serenaded the teen with his unreleased single “Heartbreaker” and reportedly even slow-danced her.
Justin is currently on a break from his Believe world tour after completing a run of North American dates. The tour resumes in Singapore on September 23, ahead of further concerts in Asia before moving on to Latin America, New Zealand, and Australia.
The incident-prone superstar is thought to have returned to the US, attending a Phish concert in Denver, Colorado last night with friends including Believe tour musical director, Dan Kanter.
• Justin spotted out tonight with Dan! pic.twitter.com/fTajd4jfWR
— BelieveTourUpdates™ (@BelieveTUpdates) September 2, 2013
The best part of bringing @justinbieber to a @phish show is the #phans. nobody bothers him and he gets to be a kid for a lil bit.
— Scrappy (@scrappy) September 2, 2013
