Cowboys and Indians arcade game removed after mum complains it’s ‘racist’

A mum complained to bosses about an arcade shooting game based on cowboys and Indians being 'racist'.

Emily Crossing, 30, was horrified when she first laid eyes on the arcade game at the Grand Pier at Weston-super-Mare in Somerset.

After noticing a game during a family visit, Emily subsequently contacted the bosses at the Grand Pier calling for the game to be removed from the arcade.

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Calling the game "extremely racist" and "outdated" when contacting the pier bosses, the adult social care worker was stunned by the attitude of the bosses towards the game.

Email exchanges showed bosses describe the arcade game as a "legacy piece" and it was down to parents themselves to keep watch on the use of the game since they hadn't received any previous complaints about it.

It was a response that angered Emily and her mum.

"It's clearly racist. It's absolutely shocking," Emily said.

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"Mum and I both just had our mouths open when we first saw it – we were in absolute shock.

"The figures of indigenous Americans were in full-on headdresses and there are little 'cowboys' everywhere.

"I can't believe the managers have no idea about cultural appropriation."

Emily contacted the company on May 29 and despite contacting them again a month later, she hadn't yet heard back.

She eventually received the response with the company claiming they inherited the game from its predecessor.

Garnering positive messages online, Emily took to Instagram to double down on her opinions about the game.

"This is 2022 – that game is racist whether you chose to play it or not. It's outdated and extremely shocking," she posted.

The Grand Pier was contacted on July 21 and its spokesperson said: "That machine is no longer in our estate."

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This isn't the first time there's been controversy about the racial connotations of Native American displays.

A 'Wild West' display at Blackpool Illuminations was removed last year after the Blackpool Council received a compliant from Tony Perry, a member of the Chickasaw Nation tribe, who said it reinforced "racial stereotypes".

The display portrays six men in headdresses around a totem pole and Perry told Lancs Live: "They said they have made the decision to retire the tableau and wanted to work with me to try to find a Native American artist to try and replace it."

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