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Posted on 07/25/2006 5:24:32 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
LONDONERS began a citywide role playing game where people roam the capital to shoot each other with water pistols - and police warned that contestants might be committing criminal offences.
"StreetWars" have already taken place in New York, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Vienna - described on their website by tournament organisers as "A three week long, 24/7, watergun assassination tournament".
As part of the game, participants are handed a manila envelope containing the details of their "target", including their name, home and work addresses, along with a picture, and are assigned with the task of "assassinating" them with a watergun.
Upon being "killed", the person who has just been eliminated from the game hands details of their target to the successful "assassin".
The last person left standing - or perhaps, still dry - after three weeks is declared the winner, and is given a cash prize which is usually around $US500 ($660) according to the tournament website.
Players are encouraged to track down their target in any way they see fit, with suggestions including posing as a delivery person, or putting on a disguise to fire on the target on the street.
London's Metropolitan Police and the British Transport Police both issued stark warnings to participants before the start of the game, with the BTP calling those taking part "irresponsible".
A spokesman for London's Metropolitan Police said: "Some water pistols, like replica firearms, can look very real and if a member of the public spots someone acting suspiciously ... a seemingly innocent bit of fun can escalate with armed officers responding.
"In addition, actions like this can result in a waste of police time and divert essential operational police resources away from real life situations."
The BTP, meanwhile, said it was advising all water pistol-armed contestants not to board the London Underground trains or local overground rail services, and told them they should consider that it may appear as though they were committing criminal offences.
"The transport system is not the place for this sort of activity," said Superintendent Bob Pacey.
Drawing attention to the terrorist suicide bombings on London's transport network in July 2005, the BTP warned that the sight of people carrying water pistols that looked like real guns could cause "genuine fear".
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I'm probably going to get more links than I care to look at, but...is there such a thing as a water pistol that looks like a real gun?
"Sounds like a gross over-reaction from the overly PC pommy police..."
"A spokesman for London's Metropolitan Police said: "Some water pistols, like replica firearms, can look very real and if a member of the public spots someone acting suspiciously ... a seemingly innocent bit of fun can escalate with armed officers responding. "
Seriously, you do get the impression our police shoot first and ask questions later. It does look like armed UK police overreact; any situation involving the slightest hint of a firearm and a platoon of paramilitaries in black boilersuits turn up with HK MP5's and baseball caps (maybe an L96 sniper rifle and helicopter thrown in too). It seems that everybody shot is found to be armed with imitation weapons/air pistols/table legs just been repaired (there was a big case over that)/toys and was found to be nowhere near the threat perceived. Of course, if it walks, acts and sounds like a duck, then police have to assume it is one. It just seems the people shot had no idea how dangerous they were perceived to be & did something foolish.
We played this game in high school 20 years ago.
Sorry, that's a wee bit creepy.
That's what makes the game exciting! A real sense of paranoia sets in.
Yeah, my ex-girlfriend got me. I was heartbroken when she dumped me and then she passed me a letter saying she wanted to talk in a private place by the school gym. I met her there and she killed me with a smile and a laugh. That bitch!
I'm sure they're out there, but they aren't common.
Now, Airsoft pistols are another thing altogether, but they should not be considered "toys", similar to how BB and pellet guns should/are not.
This one is sold, surprisingly, out of Britain. You fill the magazines up with water. Only £7.99!
Ditto... my roomate in College won the University wide tournament our second year. (This was at a State school with 17,000 undergraduates. I think there was about 1000 people in the game.) At one point he actually dressed up in one of his sisters dresses and a wig to nail someone coming out of the men's room.
I get that part. But what if they really are creeps?
I see it more of a problem for women than men, but even so.
In college everyone's a friend of a friend of a friend. In a city there are lots of people I wouldn't want having my picture and address and trying to come near me.
These days pulling a gun, even a water pistol, in a public place is likely to result in law enforcement reacting, possibly with tragic consequences.
For the record, I'd love to play this game because I understand the risk. If anyone does not (including the participants in London), they are dreaming.
I used to run TAG (The Assassination Game) events at my high school. One rule we had was that there were to be no "hits" during class time, only before or after classes. I got called to the principle's office, and he actually didn't think it was a big deal. Apparently, some of the teachers were throwing a hissy fit.
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