A Tottenham police officer has claimed that the London riots that saw buildings burn across the capital over the weekend were inspired by Grand Theft Auto.
A member of the Evening Standard newspaper confirmed that the GTA quotes were to be included in an article in tonight's edition of the free paper. The source would not rule out, however, the possibility of alterations being made before the paper hits presses.
In the same report, an Enfield resident is also credited with saying that GTA contributed to the civil unrest.
The Rockstar gangster series has, of course, been dragged to centre stage by the UK press following violent outbreaks in the past.
While the Daily Star didn't blame the killing spree that Raoul Moat embarked upon last July on GTA but it did claim that a GTA edition based on the horrific events was planned.
Comments
69 comments so far...
pRM8 on 8 Aug '11 said:
What a heap of bulls**t, you can't loot in GTA!
KieranTC on 8 Aug '11 said:
So it had nothing to do with the police supposedly executing a man who had surrendered to them?
No, let's blame gaming, it's easier!
Idiots. Most people from Brixton and Tottenham can't even afford to play GTA LOL.
G_R7 on 8 Aug '11 said:
I'm still gonna blame the fact that Swagger Jagger is Number 1 as the reason for the riots. Its the easiest and most logical answer.
kriscotw9 on 8 Aug '11 said:
Haha!! what a joke!! so 9/11 was inspired by it aswell? so were the norway killings, the London bombings, any violent event that occurs is inspired by GTA supposedly.....
smash-4000 on 8 Aug '11 said:
Oh look, another person trying to blame video games on real life things....
lordirongut on 8 Aug '11 said:
Well that's a weak link if I ever heard one. I thought the police would know better than to spew Daily Mail-bait and spread more lies into the world.
It's terrible what the rioters did but blaming it on GTA is just idiotic. And let's not forget that those riots were caused by the police using excessive force in the first place.
InsertMoreCredit on 8 Aug '11 said:
*facepalm*
Baggie1993 on 8 Aug '11 said:
One paper claims something stupid about games then everyone starts getting angry, papers lie.
It's definitely possible that this MCV is lying about the person blaming it on GTA, like a double bluff kinda thing, let's wait until the evening standard comes out before we start screaming at them.
monkeyd_93 on 8 Aug '11 said:
i would have blamed that Twilight caused rage and looting......but would anyone write an article on that?
allygray69 on 8 Aug '11 said:
here we go again
TheCrimsonFenix on 8 Aug '11 said:
I'm sorry but when someone who is supposed to enforce the law and what is right and wrong, makes such a completely baseless and unprofessional assumption like this, they seriously need action against them. It's easy to make stupid comments due to one's upbringing and such but something like this, there is no excuse. It's like we have gorillas in police issue uniform now. I'm just thankful we don't have every single troglodyte bobby brandishing a firearm. Assuming the paper hasn't misconstrued something of course..
~cough~
gmcb007 on 8 Aug '11 said:
Well everytime I went to enter the weapon code for the RPG, Roman kept calling me about Bowling. I swear I seen somebody spawn a tank from thin air as well.
nathar on 8 Aug '11 said:
I'm just gonna post this here so you know exactly what it is you're all so worked up about. Nobody is blaming GTA, or saying it inspired the Riots. This sounds like a throwaway comment by an anonymous officer who obviously enjoyed a bit of pacman back in the day, though evidently hasnt played GTA, who states that kids these days want to live GTA for themselves in the same way my gran says that kids these days don't know theyre born (though she hasnt played GTA)
"Go home, get a takeaway and watch anything that happens on TV," one constable advised. "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."
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ ... g-ruins.do
WHERESMYMONKEY on 8 Aug '11 said:
Oh come on everyone knows R*s looting riot sim was State of Emergency... Now thats a game that could do with a new shiny HD version.
KK-Headcharge78 on 8 Aug '11 said:
I am sorry but f**k off, are you kidding me??
The riots were down to one thing and one thing alone; opportunistic, brain dead thieving c**ts hiding behind tea towels while they ruin a/their local community. Those with grievances against the police had their peaceful protest until the scum got involved.
Ali_ on 8 Aug '11 said:
"Hello Knee."
"Hey there Jerk."
"Here comes Reaction."
"Doesn't seem long since we last got together...."
c3dpo on 8 Aug '11 said:
^^^
was there a decapitation epidemic when people were playing barbarian on the C64?
Ais4Audi on 8 Aug '11 said:
Yes but they have a fresh looted copy now!
charliecheswick on 8 Aug '11 said:
To blame mob violence on videogames is just laughable. The Peaky Blinders were raising hell in Birmingham over 100 years ago when the only home entertainment was watching granny getting her funbags trapped in the mangle. It's not a modern day problem or culture,it's nothing new,merely the disaffected youth venting their spleen when they feel that they've wronged somehow.
Miss_Wacy on 8 Aug '11 said:
pahahaha, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight, yes lets blame another video game, tis the cool thing to do these days, police dont want to admit these people rioting have more power than the law these days
Balladeer on 8 Aug '11 said:
This. There's something a little WRONG with their hypothesis...
Imaduck on 8 Aug '11 said:
f**k sake
Looks to me like the area had a large behind the scenes thug culture. They got riled up and destroyed things. The police seem to have done pretty much f**k all. The police should never have get it get so far, it's their f**king job to root out c**ts like these guys! Don't blame games, look at yourself.
Soviet1918 on 8 Aug '11 said:
mogel94 on 8 Aug '11 said:
If real life violence was inspired by GTA I would expect a lot more hookers to be dying from rocket launchers or crashing into the statue of liberty
spam23 on 8 Aug '11 said:
W.R.O.N.G.
KK-Headcharge78 on 8 Aug '11 said:
Not forgetting there would not a pigeon left in London!
wrightandrewjame on 8 Aug '11 said:
So there were no riots before 1997? Were they just social gatherings in the 70s and 80s then?
SJC on 8 Aug '11 said:
http://images.memegenerator.net/instances/500x/9271330.jpg
The_Jaster on 8 Aug '11 said:
I think the Rockstar Warriors game should get the blame actually.
JakeyBaby on 8 Aug '11 said:
Funny how there was no GTA back in 1985 yet the same thing happened....
PMIKE5 on 8 Aug '11 said:
Surely GTA's far too dated now to get any credibility from 'the kids'.
Also, as a lot of people have mentioned, you can't loot in GTA!
gmcb007 on 8 Aug '11 said:
Surely not because some wannabe gangbanger got shot and everybody cries racial discrimination as usual? They're a bunch of thugs and lowlifes who just used the opportunity to loot and fight. Christ knows how burning down your own neighbourhood is an ideal thing to do.
Malmo on 8 Aug '11 said:
Why are videogames the first port of call to blame for anything involving criminal activity? movies and television have displayed criminal acts for much longer, and to an even greater, more 'realistic' extent.
i think its all a load of nonsense, i mean most of what we do influences something else. In particular where we grow up, our parents and friends etc. Do they get the blame? no. Imagine if a police office came out and blamed the parents on live TV, there would be uproar, they just blame games because its easier and there's something remotely violent in them.
The_Jaster on 8 Aug '11 said:
Its was the fault of Zumba fitness I tells ya.
freds1 on 8 Aug '11 said:
I know, what would they blame stuff like this on if GTA, or indeed violent games, did not exist? GTA's a scapegoat that's all, and it's much easier to blame all societys ills on it and it's ilk rather than trying to find the real underlying problems.
TheMid on 8 Aug '11 said:
Everybody knows that it's not us it's old skool gangsta rap that's the problem!!! Wooop Wooop!!
El Mag on 8 Aug '11 said:
Shhhh ya bugger don't point out you can loot in Warriors. Paper editors might be reading and I liked that game!
lee21massive on 8 Aug '11 said:
three words for the officer and all those who wana blame gta for peoples actions, FULL OF SHIIT
The_Jaster on 8 Aug '11 said:
The 2 player mode was quality too & it had a very smart use of split screen.
scottabc on 8 Aug '11 said:
Figures because from what I understand the police inspired the riots by being oppressive dicks
Ali_ on 8 Aug '11 said:
I blame Streets Of Rage myself. Goddamn Sega.
rbt2 on 8 Aug '11 said:
They reckon the looting and rioting in Tottenham has caused about £300,000 of improvements!
As an aside, I heard on the radio that some looters broke into MacDonald's and started cooking their own fries and burgers. He he he.
Also some clothes shops were looted and the looters were trying on clothes for size!!!!
Dontcha just love the more discerning looter?
gmcb007 on 8 Aug '11 said:
I heard about that Mc Donalds story and I couldn't help but laugh! I wonder if theey were selling them to other hungry looters?
charliecheswick on 8 Aug '11 said:
That's a busman's holiday right there.
rbt2 on 8 Aug '11 said:
This has got f**k all to do with gaming.
Just a loada theiving bastards wanting LCD tellys for nowt
El Mag on 8 Aug '11 said:
If you hear of any 3D one's going cheap give us a shout.
rbt2 on 8 Aug '11 said:
None of them been offered thus far but there's loadsa people trying to flog 42" waist jeans.
Real skinny bastards are those looters!
spam23 on 8 Aug '11 said:
I blame rock music, womens rights, colour TV and books with pictures in them.
Jensonjet on 8 Aug '11 said:
I know GTA did inspire;
The police and parts of the media to suggest the dumbest sh*t!
Damn those games. We might actually have an intelligent police force and news media if it weren't for those games.
Ror1984 on 8 Aug '11 said:
Hooray, now my town is on fire too
alan666 on 8 Aug '11 said:
W.R.O.N.G
rbt2 on 9 Aug '11 said:
Luckee bastard!
It's quite chilly where we are!
Izo on 9 Aug '11 said:
Someone get the travelling circus of looting muppets under control as they're really tearing up the high street down the road.
TheLastDodo on 9 Aug '11 said:
All London League Cup footy is cancelled later today now.
YOU DON'T f**k WITH FOOTBALL!!!!!!
Ror1984 on 9 Aug '11 said:
Pfft, I've got central heating for that
wasted-again on 9 Aug '11 said:
And in other news tonight, "The COD series of games have been accused of inspiring a little Austrian man, with a silly mustache, to give up painting and go and invade Poland".
AegisK on 9 Aug '11 said:
...and I thought it was started because Rise of the Planet of the Apes had a cult following in London.
liveswired on 9 Aug '11 said:
wow, didn't know you could riot in GTA. Is that a secret paid for DLC?
Most of the kids in the riots spend their time on the streets, not inside playing games.
scottofdarwen on 9 Aug '11 said:
And the police wonder why nobody trusts or believes anything they say or do .. WHAT A PRICK
FollowerOfWyrd on 10 Aug '11 said:
I would see these quotes in full before damning any publication.
STEVONYMO on 10 Aug '11 said:
Ermmm I think you will find that living in a land of no hope with no job and no prsopects coupled with no money in your pockets and a disposition to violence having grown up seeing it every day is what has lead to this! The people making these stupid claims have gorwn up with all the usual family life goodies and a future.
These people on the other side of the tracks have nothing to lose and are just resorting to the animal we all are deep down!
rbt2 on 10 Aug '11 said:
Biggest loada bollox I've read on here in a long, long time.
And I read each and everyone of Spaceman Doug's posts religiously!
quintus on 10 Aug '11 said:
hmmm, so most people have decided to ignore the most sensible comment and decided to post their re-reactionary comments anyway.
Raptor117 on 11 Aug '11 said:
Why are London kids still playing GTA? The last GTA was 3-4 years ago and there are scores of other violent games since.
wuntuwuntu on 11 Aug '11 said:
Gamers don't go out looting... they're too busy gaming!
procion on 13 Aug '11 said:
Yes, lets get 12 of us together and go rioting in freemode in gta4. what a load of b*****ks. it's the nurture not the nature that causes anti social beviour in humans and animals. I have two well loved pitbull dogs that my neighbour owns. they are cared for, loved and given respect. i've never seen an aggressive action out of either of them. kick a dog when its down and treat it like s**t and it will rail and attack back at the world. I don't believe video games cause violent behaviour to come out in real life, I believe they can be an inlet to take the days aggressions out IN-GAME, but any well-balanced ADULT knows the boundaries between a fictional game and the repercussions of their actions in the real world. Also, I see alot of this, parents allowing their kids to play games that are stickered as being R18. the excuse that their kids will just go to a friends and play it there so why bother doesnt stick either. Self-censorship must start at home.
gmcb007 on 13 Aug '11 said:
That's the best defense!
Legrasse on 13 Aug '11 said:
It cracks me up how eager people are to blame games for carnage and violence.
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k212/Janos_Audren/tumblr_loyu0l8kxX1qb5gkjo1_1280.jpg
Agent_305 on 14 Aug '11 said:
This is horses**te!
Some scumbag pulls a gun on the police and they shot him. That's what the Police are f**king trained to do! Were they just meant to stand there and wing it?
I don't want to live on this planet anymore, too much herp-a-derp going on