British Policeman Blames Grand Theft Auto For London Riots

[Ohio Joe]

Remember the part in Grand Theft Auto IV where a riot breaks out during a protest over a father of four getting gunned down by police? Me either, but the London constable nonetheless blames the game series for inciting the violence that has resulted in over 160 arrests across the city.

While others are blaming Blackberry, Facebook, and Twitter for the senseless violence that has spread into four London boroughs over the last two days, an unnamed bobby speaking to the London Evening Standard reached deeper into the grab bag of convenient scapegoats. "These are bad people who did this," he said. "Kids out of control. When I was young it was all Pac-Man and board games. Now they're playing Grand Theft Auto and want to live it for themselves."

There you have it – in the age of Pac-Man, rioting over the actions of the London police would never enter into the minds of the innocent youth. But now, Rockstar has injected anarchistic tendencies into teenagers' brains. We couldn't possibly expect this old chap to remember the Brixton riots of 1981 and 1985, could we?

To read more about the riots, visit the Guardian's riot hub. To read more about video games being blamed for all of society's ills, google Jack Thompson.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/08/08/british-policeman-blames-grand-theft-auto-for-london-riots.aspx

It was only a matter of time.

[Unvanguard]

1. There were no riots before video games.

Put two and two together!

[HipChick]

5. He must have forgotten the Brixton riots in 1981..there were no video games then..

[Unvanguard]

7. Those were caused by GTA players with access to a time machine. n/t

[EOTE]

12. The Brixton Riots were clearly inspired by Pong and Space Invaders.

And let's not forget Donkey Kong. You can only look at an angry ape throwing barrels so many times before you want to start throwing stuff yourself.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. The press is bending over backward to say this has nothing to do

with civil unrest.

[meegbear]

3. So one unnamed bobby makes a dumb statement ...

and this somehow implies that the entire British law establishment is blaming a video game for the riots?

[Ohio Joe]

11. That is neither said nor implied

In fact, the article lists several other things the riots are being blamed on.

[meegbear]

18. Then what was the point of the article?

[malaise]

4. The same British media and politicians cheer on the Arab

youth and think their own youngsters aren't listening.

Too funny listening to the Deputy mayor bawling on BBC.

[HipChick]

8. Youngsters of every race too...

[texshelters]

9. Excellent point

Thanks.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[malaise]

14. I don't support arson and looting

but when they cheer on others because it suits their agenda, they should remember others are listening and have their own causes.

[HipChick]

15. Black, White, Mixed, Eastern European and Turkish..

Only folks missing are Asians...

[HipChick]

16. Talking to my sister now...they are closing public tranportation routes..to stop more people from

getting those areas...the Army might called in...

[texshelters]

6. Yea, it's not about racism, poverty, bigotry or desperation, it's

all about the video game.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[texshelters]

10. Perhaps it's that "Rockstar" version of "London's Burning"

that caused the rioting?

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[Bosonic]

13. sigh

It doesn't have *one* cause.

Always with the microsolutions to macroproblems.

[dana_b]

17. exactly

on the BBC they are only focusing on "thuggery, looters, sheer criminality". I heard one person saying "is this a result of deeper issues?" and he was shot down.

[saras]

19. Super Mario must have been interesting...

"If Pac-Man had affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in dark rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive electronic music."
Marcus Brigstocke