Attempted bullying / intimidation.

Don't think it has been very successful.

James Whale did exactly the right thing in standing up to them.

Yes because you could really hurt some one with those dangerous, heavy freeze dried coffee granules.

Bear asked for it, 3 times as I recall. He got what he deserved, well less than he deserved really.

Exactly. Was 3 people boxing somebody in (the counter and wall was to his 4th side) and repeatedly touching and rubbing his head, taunting and laughing whilst he kept saying "no" and "stop" not physical bullying.

Also issuing a dare specifically because they knew it would upset Saira and they wanted to see that. A dare that involved verbal taunting and flashing towards a woman they knew was already upset and quite sexually straight laced not bullying?

Finally, Lewis flat out stating in the Diary Room that they would give Saira a break today but that meant they needed another victim (his word, victim) to take her place and he thought it would be James - which it quickly was being an admission of targeting people. Is that not bullying?

Yes, there is bullying happening in there and it is deliberate and pre-meditated. It is not just arguments getting out of hand or 'banter'.

I think that a lot of bullying behaviour gets passed off as 'banter' these days. I've seen people say some really nasty hurtful things to other people irl that they knew before they said them would hurt them. Then when the other person has responded in an upset manner, they've claimed 'don't be so touchy, it's only banter'

Someone else on here said it best when they said, banter is what happens between friends, not between people who don't get along.

Agree completely with this.

I don't even think it was just invading his personal space, i think that technically what they were doing was actually Assault. They were touching somebody again and again whilst he made it clear that he hadn't given consent and didn't want them to. Assault doesn't have to involve a sexual element (ie touching genital areas) or violence. Plus, he was boxed in, no way of getting away from them without pushing back and they are all considerably younger than him and two most certainly fitter and stronger than him.

They were being threatening, trying to make him vulnerable both physically by their proximity and touching and taunting and by comments like "the more you complain, the worse it will get" - in other words we can do whatever we like to you, play with you how and when we wish and if you fight back, we'll actually hurt you.

Disgusting behaviour and real pack mentality.

Yes, it's the old not my fault they can't take a joke" defence.

Now sometimes people will genuinely say something they mean as a joke or affectionate teasing which is taken the wrong way or inadvertently hits a sensitive spot. But if that happens, you should apologize (sincerely, not the way Marnie did to Saira) and err on the side of caution re making such jokes again.

If they were targeting each other with this behaviour maybe it could be seen as banter but they are deliberately targeting people outside of their 'squad' - older people they know don't find it funny, that actually find it offensive and upsetting and saying that complaining, signaling their discomfort won't make them stop but get worse.