The violence that took place in Huntington Beach, Calif. after the U.S. Open of Surfing got the Taiwanese animation treatment in a YouTube video released Tuesday by animation studio Next Media Animation (NMA).
In classic NMA style, the computer-generated animation poked fun at the serious incident, literally turning the violent surfer fan bros into apes who "go all ape shit" on portable toilets. The video's narrative is also studded with puns (a "wave" of violence overtook the city) and understatement (the police were "kind enough" to "hand out" pepper spray and rubber bullets).
More troubling, however, is the video's emphasis that the violence was caused by a "white riot," serving as a reminder that "whites can riot too." It's left unsaid in the video, but NMA's emphasis on a "white riot" reveals a lot about how people outside of the U.S. can perceive African Americans -- perhaps because of how U.S. media portrays African Americans.
It took more than 100 police officers to get a handle on the violence in Huntington Beach that night, reports the Associated Press. Authorities are currently sifting through photos and videos to help them arrest more suspects.
UPDATE: Writing as "an American of color who considers himself an ally to the white community," Gawker's Cord Jefferson deftly skewers media stories bemoaning violent black youth with his satirical reflection on the Huntington Beach violence and the tragedy of "thuggish white youth." It's well worth a read.