That’s baloney.
Born in England and returning as a teenager, going to an English school and known as the only Yank around, it wasn’t baloney at all! I even had the bobbies come looking to question me! when I did kick butt. Gimmie three steps only worked so often and was only by luck and cunning that I manageed to escape, so the Yank stood his ground even if he got the worst of it. My encounters with the bullies of the time would be similar to hate crimes today. And the cainings by the school headmaster would be assault. lol.