The serious assault in Diessen on Carnival Tuesday was filmed by bystanders. The images show that even one of the suspects filmed how he hit the 16-year-old victim. Media psychologist Mischa Coster explains why people film violent events and why we like to watch this kind of footage.
“As a perpetrator you don’t film yourself that quickly, unless something is wrong in your head,” says Coster. “You only film yourself as a perpetrator if you have considered that you are going to fight.”
It often happens that bystanders film when people fight each other. “Usually just to share what they are experiencing. Sometimes also to hide behind the phone, so that they themselves are not involved in the violence.”
“Pick up your phone when you’re being attacked? You usually don’t have time for that.”
The images from Diessen show how several boys abuse another boy. Three of the suspects turned themselves in to police after the brawl. They say things went wrong earlier in the evening, after a fight between two groups in party center Hercules. According to them, they were attacked first and then they wanted revenge. They then assaulted the 16-year-old boy.
That could explain the filming. Someone may have already had their phone ready when another confrontation arose. Coster: “Pick up your phone when you’re attacked? You usually don’t have time for that.”
“We look for emotions, positive and negative.”
The images of the brawl appeared online and were viewed well there. “People are very curious,” Coster explains. “We look for emotions, positive and negative. We also need that as people.”
That is why these violent images score high ratings on the internet. “Most people don’t see a fight every day. That attracts. A warning that images can be shocking makes such a video even more attractive.” And if your friends talk about it? “Then you go and see for yourself. You want to know what it’s about.”
Images of the abuse in Diessen:
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Shocking images of serious abuse of boy (16) during carnival
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