Gamernode: News - Protesters Descend On Take Two Offices Over Bully

Protesters Descend On Take Two Offices Over Bully

Category: PlayStation 2, Posted: 08/30/2006 at 03:36PM CDT by Frank Ling, Editorial Director

New protests are brewing in reaction to the coming release of Take-Two,s upcoming Bully. A group calling themselves as the Peaceaholics, gathered at the game publisher,s offices in Manhattan and shouted, "This game is bananas! B-A-N-A-N-A-S." The chanting parodied the song "Hollaback Girl," by singer Gwen Stefani. A large crowd of demonstrators held signs and lobbied against the game. As of now, while the unrated title is most likely destined for a classification of "M," the game has been pre-sold on many websites and stores without an official rating from the ESRB. Bully, has a storyline in which a student at Bullworth academy is bullied mercilessly by classmates. He later takes revenge on them by subjecting them to violent acts and mischief. One protester complained, "If you're coming where I'm from in D.C. where children get killed in schools and everything, and see people get picked up off the ground with their brains in the street, then you know it's not exploitive. You know we're dealing with real issues where our children are being trained to be animals."

The protest, which was captured on video, can be viewed on YouTube.

Posted by Chrispy on 08/31/2006 at 10:47PM

I've found from personal experience that the theme song from Bananas in Pajamas is actually the more effective protest song. But hey--that's just me.

Posted by Brendon on 09/01/2006 at 01:38AM

Oh, Jack...

Posted by yo1mcool on 09/01/2006 at 02:37AM

Wow, they cant be serious.And as you said Smoking, they should actually get to the root of the problems and try to stop/prevent bullying in school.Ive never been apart of Bullying on either sides, considering im 6'3 and like 200 pounds, most people wouldnt dare, , but that also means I dont really know what it would be like.Instead of Protesting, these people could volunteer to be a "Guard" or "Lookout" at a Local school looking out for Bullying and things of that nature.

Posted by FLIPINOMAD on 09/30/2006 at 07:17PM

good lord, if u don't liek the game, then don't protest about it.
besides u can't stop bullying, its like trying to stop the growth of food int eh US, u just can't.

Posted by Kester on 10/03/2006 at 08:32AM

I honestly believe no one can hold their hands up and say they haven't at one point insulted someone.
That my friends is bullying.
If you are one of those few people that can honestly say that go protest. Until then these people should find something that actually might make a difference to bullying, by fixing the source, not trying to ban a game they most likely know very little about (or how computer games effect people evidently).

Posted by (Undecided) on 10/05/2006 at 11:30AM

I am against protesting about something which you have little knowledge about. These people should put their destructive talents to use elsewhere, nuclear disarmament leaps to mind.
While I against games with violence against innocents, I do not judge games I have not played. I have not played GTA and so I do not protest it. I believe first hand experiance or scientific evidence should be required before any sort of controvery is allowed to take place. Anyone remember the Nutrasweet protests before it was even tested?
But let's face the facts: People will complain about ANYTHING. These "Peaceaholics" sound anything but peacefull.