[Tom4784]

Noel Gallagher blames TV and video games for UK riots

Noel Gallagher has said that last week's riots across England were a result of an "age of violence".

The ex-Oasis songwriter also blamed TV and video games for the disturbances in London, Manchester, Birmingham and elsewhere.

Gallagher told Bang Showbiz: "I can't understand where their energy for these riots is coming from.

"We live in this age of violence - and I don't care what other people say - brutal TV and brutal video games are a reason for this pointless violence as well.

"The people are immune to violence, they are used to it. And if they get caught they aren't punished the right way. The prisons are already full? Then build new ones!"

He continued: "It's crazy! It's just violence for the sake of violence. The people who are at these riots aren't poor. These are kids with ******ing mobile phones and all sorts of s**t. The police and government have to take drastic measures."

Gallagher claimed that the "stupid" rioters "have no goals" and added: "There aren't any reasons! There's a guy who gets shot - a gangster if I may add that, who had a gun.

"If you live by the sword, you die by the sword! Then suddenly there are riots everywhere. There is no reason for that. It's just pointless violence of ******ing idiots."

The Pretty Green shop on King Street in central Manchester belonging to Gallagher's estranged brother and former bandmate Liam was looted on Tuesday night. A man was later sentenced to eight months in prison for the offence.

People who blame TV and games for violence in the real world are morons. Playing Grand Theft Auto doesn't mean you want to go out and bang a prostitute and then drive her off a bridge. It's like these people think violence didn't exist before the 90's. No game, film, book, music or any outside influence in the media can cause violent tendencies. The capacity for violence has to be there to begin with and saying otherwise is just vindicating criminals and giving them an excuse which is not acceptable.

People chose to go out and riot because they wanted to. They aren't some brainwashed morons incapable of independent thought that were coerced into doing it by Halo. It's just moronic and anyone who honestly believes games or films carry any influence is a simplistic fool.