No Squid Game Halloween costumes, New York schools say

Three New York state primary schools have banned Halloween costumes from the hit Netflix series Squid Game, for fear that they may glorify violence.

The South Korean thriller series tells the story of debt-ridden people who compete for a huge cash prize in a deadly series of children’s games.

Its gory content prompted schools to email parents about the show’s “violent messages”.

They said Squid Game outfits at school events would be “inappropriate”.

Schools in New York’s Fayetteville-Manlius School District have guidelines that prohibit Halloween outfits with items “that can be interpreted as weapons” and those that are “too gory or scary”, it is Superintendent Dr. Craig Tice told CBS News.

He said pupils reenacted scenes from the series during breaks and that principals warned parents that “games associated with violent behavior are inappropriate.”

In the US, the series is rated by Netflix for mature audiences, meaning the show “may not be suitable for children under 17”.

But some parents are reportedly dissatisfied with the school costume ban.

“It’s a costume. Don’t let your kids watch the show,” one woman told CBS.

Another parent called the ban “overbearing”.

In England, teachers have warned children about six drama games in the series.

Earlier this month, the Bedfordshire Board of Directors told parents to be “vigilant” about the dangers of their children “replicating the Squid Game program”.