Red Bull-infused mob harasses anime Con-goers
Having recently gone through the experience of being invited to (and not attending) my 20-year High School reunion, I thought back on some of my teenage tormentors and - after realizing that most of them were probably overweight middle-managers with half of their hair left - I started thinking that 20 years probably changed them every bit as it did me.
…and then I read about the ball-sucking twats that decided that harassing a bunch of anime fans at this year’s Metrocon was a good time. I think one of these groups wasn’t acting their age, and it wasn’t the group dressed up as cartoon characters.
Attendees at Metrocon — Florida’s largest anime convention held inside the convention center as people were attempting to fly unflyable homemade vehicles — were repeatedly harassed by crowds of rowdy flugtaggers who made catcalls at young girls and tried slipping cameras up their skirts. The Red Bull fans shouted “freak” and “fag”at participants, ruined artwork and spilled beer on costumes, said Allison Rexrode, who attended the event for the sixth year in a row.
The convention is normally a family-friendly celebration of Japanese culture where fans can come dressed in homemade costumes, participate in skits and contests and meet fellow anime-lovers.
“It was completely different (this year),” Allison said. “It was a constant hassle… a constant influx of people coming in and out, and there was no way to control it.”
The convention center double-booked the Red Bull and Metrocon events, assuming Flugtaggers would stay outside on the Riverwalk while Metrocon carried on inside. But security was unprepared for the number of people and the amount of drunken stupidity.
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