Video Games Blamed for London Riots

By Matt Mann / August 8, 2011

Again we video gamers are being blamed for violence, this time it is the London riots. A police constable who remains unnamed had this to say to the Evening Standard about the riots:

"Go home, get a takeaway and watch anything that happens on TV. These are bad people who did this. Kids out of control. When I was young it was all Pacman and board games. Now they're playing Grand Theft Auto and want to live it for themselves."

This comes less than a month after violent video games were removed from store shelves in Norway, after the tragic shooting in Oslo. I keep thinking we are past the stage of trying to scapegoat media forms as reasons for violence, but every year we come back to this. First it was comic books, then violent movies, next came rap music, and now video games are the cause of all violence every where. The ironic thing is, that violent crime in North America has actually been decreasing for some time now and continued to do so last year. Does anyone out there believe we will ever move past video games being blamed for every major violent act; because at this point I don't see that happening for a long time? P.S. - A fair few of the WhatCulture! writers are from London, 90% or so. I have been talking to a few of them who are trying to relocate and keep out of danger and our message to them is to stay safe and let's hope this mindlessness is over soon.