MP Vaz blames Counter-Strike for Malmo shootings
Anti-game politician claims Valve title linked with spate of migrant violence
Outspoken Labour MP Keith Vaz has once against accused videogames of inciting real-life violence.
Vaz claimed in a recent Early Day Motion that the recent shootings in Malmo, Sweden, which saw one death and up to 15 other attempted murders, were "associated" with PC online title Counter-Strike.
A 38-year-old man has been arrested for the incident, and is suspected of a year-long campaign of violence against dark-skinned Swedes. The country is currently seeing a rise in racial tensions, following anti-immigrant party the Sweden Democrats taking seats in parliament.
Nonethless, Vaz feels that Valve's military FPS is to blame. "The recent race shootings in Malmo, Sweden have been associated with the violent video game Counter-Strike," he told parliament.
He went on to request that parliament "further notes that the internet-based, first-person shooting game that pits a counter-terrorist team against terrorists was previously banned in Brazil and in 2007 was associated with US College Campus massacres."
Vaz appears to have derived his argument solely from a Times report (warning: paywall) which quoted a local man as saying "I am sure that this is down to some crazy kid who plays that sniping game Counter-Strike all day. I don't believe in the lone Nazi theory."
Local police have yet to publicly implicate the game in the shootings.
Continuing a history of undermining existing game ratings and not acknowledging the planned move to more regulation under the PEGI system, Vaz also demanded that the house "calls on the Government to ensure the purchase of video games by those under 18 years is controlled and that parents are provided with clear information on the violent content of certain games."