GTA 5 Fans Claim In-Game Police Are Racist Towards Black Main Character

According to a number of people who have published their findings across a number of social media websites as well as forums, it seems Grand Theft Auto 5′s police squad, the Los Santos PD, might be discriminating towards one of the game’s main characters, Franklin, who happens to black. A number of stories have claimed Los Santos PD have acted aggressively towards Franklin, such as by pulling up next to a cop car and honking or even playing a game of fetch with Chop.

[xHeavYx]

In related news, the level of stupidity of some people keeps rising

[raWfodog]

I have not played the game yet but can those who have let me know if this sentence made any sense to you:

"A number of stories have claimed Los Santos PD have acted aggressively towards Franklin, such as by pulling up next to a cop car and honking or even playing a game of fetch with Chop."

The cops are acting agressively towards Franklin by pulling up next to cop cars and honking? Huh?

[cleft5]

That doesn't happen in my experience. I primarily play as Franklin and Trevor. From what I can tell people are actively aggressive towards Trevor, but I haven't had those experiences as Franklin. I have walked around with guns out and pull less aggro with Franklin then just normally walking around as Trevor and approaching people.

I am not saying it doesn't happen, but it hasn't happened for me and I spend a lot of time playing as Franklin and Trevor.

[infamous-butcher]

I was Michael and stood in front of a cop, no guns out and got a wanted star. Literately just standing there was considered a crime.

[minimur12]

To be honest though, I don't see why it's such a problem.

GTA confronts:
Torture
Sexism
Elitism
Making fun of disabled people
Gang warfare

What's the matter with a bit of racism?

[minimur12]

I don't get it, the police play fetch?

And regarding acting aggressively, the person may've just bumped into someone and not realised. that gets the police on you if there's one nearby.
I still don't understand this bit:
such as by pulling up next to a cop car and honking
The police pull up next to a cop car and honking?

To be honest, it's pretty unclear what the discriminatory act is.

In GTA IV I remember punching someone so they went after me, running towards a policeman and getting them arrested :D
-------

"one of the game’s main characters, Franklin, who happens to black."

"who happens to black."
lol

[Pintheshadows]

I tend to find that they react badly to me emptying the combat shotgun into one of their cars.

Bloody racists.

[KazHiraiFTW]

This shit is on like swerve 500. Franklin is all flossed up and he just be hittin it.

[Retroman]

@ Xheavyx

best response ever!!

how could a video game image (character) be racist unless developers intention was to add it to the game.

no sense at all.

dont play games like GRAND THEFT AUTO to much racism in REAL LIFE surely dont want to play video game about it.

[Retroman]

On a serious note:

what was the purpose of creating Gand theft auto?? so ill-minded people can practice shooting,killing, dis-respecting women is that the way to do it cuz you do it in a virtual world and find it fun??. is it how we men suppose to treat women?? even in a game?? cops harassing minorities?? some poor sap actions when High or drugged or drunk feel like they in Grand theft auto game might perform these action in real life. we all hear from time to time in the news young teenagers arrested for manslaughter of parents or girlfriend from playing such games. recently a teen was arrested and JAILED for hitting mom after she unplugged his ps3 in the middle of call of duty. (yahoo news) tuesday 24th sept.

[bsquwhere]

99% of people that play games like this don't act out. If that kid hit his mom its a combo of mental illness and bad parenting. Stop blaming objects for the action of others. Its called responsibility. I didn't watch Superman and then try to fly. I have common sense. Parents get your kids right in the head and don't let them play M rated Games. Idiots.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

"Video Games Fry Your Brain." Applies to a good massive handful of people these days.

[Maddens Raiders]

Not sure about this, I haven't experienced it. If it turns out to be true then R* is just trying to "keep it real" lol.

[LOGICWINS]

I like how nearly everyone refers to Franklin as "homie" when they first meet him because he's black lol. I like Michael and Trevor, but Franklin's my fave character of the three. I think he's the easiest to root for of the bunch since he's the underdog.

Never experienced any "extra" aggression from cops, but I'd be okay with it if true. Thats how it is in real life.

[Pintheshadows]

I'm so glad someone else likes Franklin the best. I didn't expect to but I do. There is something inherently likable about him. I loved the intial conversation when he first meets Beverley. Made him seem real.

I see him and the centre for Michael and Trevor. He always brings them down to reality when they are at each others throats and I love the way he isn't afraid to stand up to them.

[Thatguy-310]

GTA is a satire of today's society. People need to stop over thinking things and just enjoy the game.

[abusador]

Indeed a satire, but being a so called minority living in NYC they hit on so many things truthfully, with and without exaggeration. Even though it takes place in what is suppose to be L.A.

Me and my ppls are constantly playing and laughing on how some of the depiction of certain types of ppl in regards to hipsters, minority, yuppies, etc,.. Is so close to truth.

And playing we didn't notice any difference between playing with franklin and the game reacting diff. As if I was trailer trash Trevor lol

[Lighter9]

",who happens to black." Really? How do you black something?

[dmeador]

I think its a form of fixing/rigging something in a temporary way.

[Tetsujin]

I'm black and I didn't notice any difference with Franklin and the police; if anything Trevor is a bigger target than Franklin.

I swear sometimes people will do ANYTHING for that 5 minutes of fame against something successful.

[cleft5]

Same here. I am black too and I have noticed that same thing happen in regards to people being more aggressive to Trevor. If anything, the cops are fairly neutral to Franklin.

[Blaze929]

lol as if the police don't bother us enough in real life, they now bother us in virtual worlds lmao.

[Retroman]

sooooooo true BLAZE929 soooooo TRUE. and thats why i would not buy any grand theft auto game. cant walk down the street or drive down the road without being harass in st.louis mo. by cops every 10 min. no need to buy a game to remind me of hatred outside your door in reality.

[Dan_scruggs]

Then the game is more real than I thought.

[Spontogical]

Then it means R* is doing something right. Adding realism to the game.

[Linkinnshadow]

lol damn racist in-game cops, they should be arrested and by the way, they need to let me play with a girl, because I need to have a girl in-game so I can become a hooker, that or I need to change my sex in real live so I can become one. :)

[Ripsta7th]

Watttttt? Real life?

[SpideySpeakz]

LOL WUT?

[LOL_WUT]

I guess someone hasn't played Manhunt a game also made by rockstar ;)

[Deividas]

I dont know, maybe they be catching him riding dirty...

[Hicken]

Lame. I bet there's nobody claiming this, except a few trolls.

[Danlisa]

At least there's no mofos in white gowns and pointy hoods. Right?

Just get over whatever aspect of the game upsets you, it's GTA, it's supposed to. I would consider anything less a failure on R*s part.

[brianunfried]

If you are always finding things racist, then you sir are a racist.

[Roper316]

couldn't agree more and people who come to mind are Al Sharpton & Jesse Jackson. They're the biggest racist ever imho.

[itisallaboutps]

So what? Look at Mrs madrazo acting very similar to the Mexican old cleaning lady from family guy when he is with Trevor. What about after the bank heist when you escape from the train and meet up with Sanchez and then someone tells Sanchez to watch out because they look for illegals near trains. Or the Mexican field workers out in the farms. What about the dealership owner who calls Mike's son a nazi? People will try to pick the game and tear it apart piece by piece to make headlines.

[creeping judas]

In other news, Canadians are reacting negatively to the portrayal of their country by Trevor. They say that Trevor's actions are not typical of Canadians, and therefore feel that R* is being racist against Canadians. And a vocal minority has set up an online petition that has garned 12 signatures in the last week and half, to have Trevor removed from the game all together.

[abusador]

A little off topic but I was in a sports car' beside another sports car and I honked the horn to see if it would react as if it wanted to race, wow was in surprised when he honked back, put pedal to gas at first sign of green light and raced, even passing red lights. I thought that was official.

[Harkins1721]

With news like this sometimes I dont want to be a gamer. It's a video game. Shut the hell up you babies!

[redknight80]

And here I thought I have seen it all...this is so unreal. I hope this has just been all a joke and no one is serious about the in-game police being racists hahahaha. Franklin is portrayed best in the game, I think. Michael is always having family issues, his kids hate him and he overreacts to everything and Trevor is well...Trevor.

[Pintheshadows]

I actually think that Michael is reacting reasonably to things he sees but then goes too far as he is a closeted psychopath. I feel sorry for him as his family, particularly Jimmy, is oblivious to how big a bunch of dicks they are. Michael basically spends the whole time going FFS FAMILY!

[CocoWolfie]

isnt this game suppose to show sterotypicalism? (thats not a word i know) but it shows society and shows how women are treated, it shows how business like "life invader" are to real websites, and 'its been shown in movies' before so i dont see what he'll get out of arguing it.

[Deltaguy]

Its not Franklin...it's the neighborhood, cops are more aggressive and more prevalent there..like the hood in real life...

Another note....don't put stories that have to do with race on n4g...it's pretty much ran by suburban white kids.

[Jneal7]

I experienced GTAV racism once. I was driving with Franklin. I didn't commit any crimes. Out of nowhere I had the cops after me. It could have been a nice satirical touch by R* or it could have been a glitch...

[Aleithian]

Haha! If true that would be awesome.

(Not because I'm racist, but because it reflects reality)

[metalgod88]

Honestly, I really doubt this is true. If you so much as look at the cops, they get all angry at you and eventually chase you down no matter what character you play as.

But it is a known fact that black people are more subjective to crimes than say a white female. It's a horrible thing, but it's definitely something that does happen.

[Retroman]

unfortunately it happens in GTA 5

[TXIDarkAvenger]

so real.

[noisemedia]

Come on people. The Los Santos/GTA world is one based entirely upon satire. Yes, the cops might act like cops, maybe even some racist cops. Addressing and poking fun at those stereotypes are what this whole thing is about.

Please, stop taking yourselves so damn seriously. Its embarrassing.