From the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8041320.stm

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Berlin says games like paintball encourage violence

The German government says it plans to ban combat games such as paintball, in response to a recent school shooting.

The new measures being proposed to parliament also include tighter gun control rules and give officials the right to conduct checks on gun owners.

Sixteen people, including the gunman, were killed in the shooting at a school in southern Germany in March.

Relatives of the victims say the new measures do not go far enough.

'Biometric controls'

Under the proposed rules, the authorities would be given more right to ensure weapons are safely locked up.

The massacre at Albertville School shocked Germany

It is also thought that "biometric controls" for gun storage might be introduced, the BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Berlin reports.

That would mean that anyone owning and storing guns at home would need to use their own fingerprint to open the safe or cupboard, our correspondent says.

Berlin also plans to ban games like paintball and laser-tag that simulate killing on the grounds that they trivialise and encourage violence.

Anyone defying the proposed new rule could face a 5,000-euro (£4,474) fine.

But relatives of those killed in the March attack in the town of Winnenden, near Stuttgart, are calling for an outright ban on pistols and high-calibre weapons.

"There cannot be a second Winnenden," Hardy Schober, whose daughter was killed in the attack, told a news conference in Berlin.

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What a bunch of morons. It's amazing that such a 'liberal' country would attempt to restrict it's citizens from enjoying such fantastic sports activities. Next, they'll move to ban importation of Wii Zappers, and fine anyone that points their finger at someone, at someone and simulates a gun being fired.

:-\

What is wrong with Europe and liberties?

I can understand Germany being kind of fanatical about their infamous past (Nazism nazis?), but this is total bullshit.

That sucks.Paintball is awesome.

As someone who played Paintball semi-pro for 3 years... that sucks.

looks like Mafoo will not be travelling to Germany any time soon. At least he won't be paintballing there

As someone with half my family murdered there in the 1940's, and someone with a very German Jewish last name, Germany was a little far down on my "favorite places to visit" list anyway :)

Don't worry, you can go to jail for question Holocaust numbers there. I think your safe.

A 2007 Survey showed that 44% of the country still hold classic anti-Semitic views. If I were to go to Germany, it only takes one drunk guy in a bar to ruin my vacation. 

No thank you. 

I play Laser Tag every two weeks and am going Paintballing (for about the fifth time in my life) early next month.

I do it because it is awesome fun. I do not in any way do it to simulate the harming or killing of any of my friends.

This is complete and utter crap.

I played paintball once. Most terrifying experience of my life.
OT: That's just dumb! Has there been any scientific links between the shooting and the games?