Vancouver Malobear: According to CBC Riot police fired tear gas, pepper spray and flash bombs in downtown Vancouver Wednesday night to try to disperse angry rioters who set cars on fire, looted stores and taunted police officers after the Canucks' 4-0 Stanley Cup final loss to the Boston Bruins.Police declared the downtown fan zone area near the CBC building and the central post office a riot zone. Anyone not leaving the West Georgia Street area immediately could be arrested, they warned.Police used batons and also turned police dogs on the rioters, slowly pushing the crowd back along Georgia Street from Hamilton Street to Cambie Street.Two police cars were set on fire in a parking lot on Cambie Street near one of the areas where police were being confronted by a few dozen people among the hundreds present who were throwing debris at officers.The riots shook Vancouver residents, and prompted thousands to sign up to a Facebook campaign that aimed to identify rioters and looters. There is also a campaign underway to get people to clean up the city, beginning Thursday morning.Witnesses were encouraged by Facebook campaign organizers to post pictures of rioters in the act, in the hopes that they might be recognized and identified. More than 20,000 people had joined by the morning Thursday."Prosecute the thugs," wrote Lorraine Bennett on the site. "Clearly they hate the Canucks, they hate Vancouver." 'Unfortunately, the tables have turned tonight' Most people who stayed in the riot areas were watching the confrontation, while a few young men who covered their faces were confronting police."You don't ever hope for a situation like this," said Vancouver police Const. Jana McGuinness."You celebrate the good times and you prepare for the bad times and that's exactly what we've done. Unfortunately, the tables have turned tonight."In addition to the riot police, officers were also called in from several neighbouring departments to help control the unruly crowd.Vancouver fire department Capt. Gabe Roder said it was not clear how many fires had been set. Fire crews were instructed to leave the downtown core by police, and the department made a decision early in the evening to respond to fires only where the public was in danger.Officials say dozens of people were injured, but most were being treated for tear gas or pepper spray exposure.Vancouver General Hospital officials said there were two major traumas, three stabbing victims and one head injury.A spokesperson for St. Paul's Hospital said the emergency room had seen at least 57 people with injuries related to the riot, most of whom were treated for tear gas exposure and released. Others, officials said, were cut with broken glass or had fractured bones. There was one major trauma, officials said, but released no further details.B.C. Ambulance also confirmed that a man had fallen or jumped off the Dunsmuir Viaduct and was in critical condition in hospital. Bus transit suspended A number of cars had also been set alight in a parkade at West Georgia Street and Seymour Street.Vandals were seen jumping on a pair of police cars in a parking lot on Cambie Street. One of the cars had been turned on its side but later was righted.TransLink had stopped all bus service to and from the downtown area, but SkyTrains were still running to and from downtown stations.Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said the situation was "despicable.""It's absolutely disgraceful and shameful and by no means represents the city of Vancouver," said Robertson. "We've had a great run in the playoffs here, great celebrations, and what's happened tonight is despicable.""We are dealing with a small number of troublemakers," said the mayor. "They will be held accountable. There's a lot of photographic evidence. We're asking people to keep whatever pictures they're taking… because these people will be held accountable for this."Cambie Street Bridge was also closed for several hours Wednesday, blocking access to downtown Vancouver. Malobear: The second Facebook group called for Vancouver residents to clean up after the riots.The "Post Riot Clean-Up - Let's help Vancouver" group had more than 11,000 members by the morning."I'm living in it so I will definitely be helping," wrote Beverly Akhurst. "I would love to see the people who did this to my home forced to do the cleanup though."Robynn Mexican-Wonder wrote: "I love this city and will be there to help for sure! I won't trash the people who trashed the place, instead I'll just pick the trash up."Vancouver police, who were using Twitter throughout the night to get information to the public, said on the micro-site they will let people know Thursday how to post videos and photos of suspects. Game was winding down Trouble started in the closing seconds of the game when a thick plume of smoke, believed to be from fireworks, wafted above the crowd on West Georgia Street in front of the central post office building. Moments later, a car burst into flames and fights broke out. The number of arrests is expected to be in the dozens.Glass windows were broken at the Bank of Montreal on West Georgia and at the Hudson's Bay Company.Widespread looting was reported at the Bay store, at the downtown London Drugs, Chapters, Sears and Future Shop.In addition, a fire was reported at a parkade on Seymour Street. Few details were available, but reports indicated several cars were on fire. There were also reports of garbage cans and portable toilets on fire throughout the downtown core.Some in the large crowd that gathered outside to watch the game on big-screen TVs decided it was prudent to begin leaving early as it looked like the home team was going to lose the game. Many of those taking an early exit were parents with young children, concerned at the threat of over-crowding. Violence not anticipated Earlier, before and during the game, fans were packed tight but good-natured as they cheered on their team, which had won at home in every previous game against Boston in this Stanley Cup final series. Police had consistently used a strategy of engagement with the crowds that had gathered for the previous games. Officers readily exchanged high-fives and good natured banter with fans.The engagement technique was considered a major success during the 2010 Olympics, when similar numbers of fans flocked to the downtown core.Police tried to nip the violence in the bud by closing liquor and beer stores early, but it appeared to have no effect."We will have to sit down and evaluate exactly what happened here. It's going to be a black mark for a very, very long time," McGuinness said.The strategy was also part of an effort to avoid a repeat of the 1994 Stanley Cup riot, which occurred in Vancouver's downtown area on June 14 that year, after the Canucks lost in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final in New York against the Rangers.It's expected the damage from Wednesday's riot will far exceed that of 17 years ago. Malobear: Canada has some very strict rules about Rioting: Rioting can carry a life sentence Under Sections 67-68 of the Criminal Code of Canada, a public official may read what's colloquially called the "Riot Act" in order to disperse an unruly crowd: "Her Majesty the Queen charges and commands all persons being assembled immediately to disperse and peaceably to depart to their habitations or to their lawful business on the pain of being guilty of an offence for which, on conviction, they may be sentenced to imprisonment for life." People who do not "peaceably disperse" within 30 minutes are "guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life."  introspec: Excellent info, malobear..... Local Gannett paper stated Police Chief Jimmy Chu said that gasoline had been transported to riot area for deliberate vandalism purposes.... Vancouver several times previous visits, people so decent.... Knew thuggery reported in intl soccer, but hockey?  FogofWar: I'm not going to point a finger at the cause; but here's an interesting fact. Vancouver is one of the largest marijuana rich places in the country. The city even has 'smoke shops' like the cafes you hear about in Amsterdam. High drug use...a history of civil unrest and meaningless riots: 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs, 2010 Olympics, 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs...coincidence? What I don't get is why the city didn't prepare for it better. Come on, you didn't see this coming? The last time Vancouver made it to game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals; they trashed the city in the exact manner. Just last year they did the same during the Olympics....take a hint police. Really, you don't suspect a thing when 'fans' show up to the game with ski masks in June and jerry cans full of gasoline. Ahh....that's not a molotov cocktail officer...it's just I misplaced the cork for my booze. Way to show the world what Canada is like Vancouver....idiots.  (Post deleted by staff ) FogofWar: Yah...that's why Berkeley California DOESN'T have the highest case of civil riots hey? Those hippies never protest anything and resort to violence do they?  StuckInTheSixties: "I'm not going to point a finger at the cause; but here's an interesting fact. Vancouver is one of the largest marijuana rich places in the country. The city even has 'smoke shops' like the cafes you hear about in Amsterdam." If your false correlation had any merit, Amsterdam would be a hotbed of drug-induced violent unrest ... but it's not, is it? Beer causes far more violence than cannabis ever possibly could. StuckInTheSixties: Not to mention that Berkeley has had little in the way of rioting since the end of the war in Vietnam. That was ... what? Thirty-six years or so ago? StuckInTheSixties: I'm curious ... If you compared all circumstances where the Stanley Cup was won in the opposing team's city (especially when won by the margin of a single game), I wonder how many of those had the same sort of rioting? Actually, in Los Angeles, any time there's a WIN of a championship of just about any sport they riot. I wonder what happens with the cities involved in World Cup wins/losses? FogofWar: One major difference; Amsertdam it is legal. Vancouver it is not. Another major difference is in the culture of Vancouver vs. Amersterdam. One would have to compare all these factors as well. Like I said; I am not pointing a finger at the cause; it's just a simple coincidence isn't it? Berkeley has had many protests and violence has erupted against the US Marine Recruiting Centre opening there in the past few years. Since the invasion of Iraq; there have been several "protests" in Berkeley. This wasn't thirty six years ago…and even if it were; it doesn't change the fact that a bunch of stoned out hippies resorted to violent protest and rioting in 'protest' of 'violence' now does it? Of course it happens elsewhere. Even Edmonton rioted when they went for the Cup too…which is why I have continually criticized local media morons (one in particular) for looking down on Vancouver for rioting when they defended their own 'fans' doing it five years ago. Of all the cities in Canada; none have seen riots even close to the scale of Vancouver. This wasn't a simple riot...it was utter destruction of the core of the city. The riot even made al Jazeera news. StuckInTheSixties: "Like I said; I am not pointing a finger at the cause; it's just a simple coincidence isn't it?" That's just a way of pointing the finger. And a not too subtle way. "One major difference; Amsertdam it is legal. Vancouver it is not." Yet you pointed out that "The city even has 'smoke shops' like the cafes you hear about in Amsterdam." So is the illegality a "major difference," or not? You're contradicting yourself. "Berkeley has had many protests and violence has erupted against the US Marine Recruiting Centre opening there in the past few years. Since the invasion of Iraq; there have been several "protests" in Berkeley. This wasn't thirty six years ago…and even if it were; it doesn't change the fact that a bunch of stoned out hippies resorted to violent protest and rioting in 'protest' of 'violence' now does it?" Any violence occurring in anti-war protests in the last couple of decades has been perpetrated by so-called "Anarchists." Those people are about as un-hippie-like as a person could possibly be. Basically, it's just an excuse for them to cause trouble. Actual protesters are horrified by their antics. And any notion of present-day anti-war protesters being "stoned out hippies" is just silly, not to mention ignorant. They're just people, a pretty fair cross-section of society as a whole. StuckInTheSixties: "Berkeley has had many protests and violence has erupted against the US Marine Recruiting Centre opening there in the past few years." Total bullshit. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Marine_Corps_Recruiting_Center_protests See any mention of rioting or violence erupting in there? No. Because there wasn't any. "Since the invasion of Iraq; there have been several "protests" in Berkeley." Protests occurred all over North America over the Iraq war. You're fixating on Berkeley and "stoned out hippies" out of ignorance and perhaps a personal bias or something.  Dalai Mama: Beer.... Always some that have to spoil it for the rest... Combined with bitter disappointment... Yes parts of BC may be marijauna rich....but it is a large export commodity...and marijauna does not make you violent...i dont think...cough....cough I would only ask that Canadians as a whole, or even Vancouverites, are "rioters" just waiting to happen..in fact....the reactions of the RESIDENTS of Vancouver (11,000+) to clean up their city and punish those responsible (hundreds of rioters) showed what the bulk of Vancouverites really are! PS....Smyth is back, GO OIL! (Post deleted by staff ) Dalai Mama: lol...morons is absolutely right! and..ahem...I mean that i hope we aren't all looked at as "rioters"...  GreatGrammy: I'm sorry to say that I have no idea why a mass of people can suddenly become so stupid. But it is a historical fact that people in large groups can cause chaos, damage, death, and destruction, when in fact the individual people themselves are mostly "good citizens". I guess it's a lemming thing. I do not agree that pot smoking has anything to do with it, but do agree that any instigators that can be found should be seriously punished. FogofWar: I am not pointing a finger. To point a finger would have been to say that marijuana is the cause; I never said it was. I simply pointed out that it is a strange coincidence that violent riots only seem to happen in communities that have a rich drug culture here. You don't hear about the small town prairie folk rioting; or about the religious communities like Camrose, Alberta, erupting in violence. Vancouver has smoke shops; but it doesn't mean they are legal. The culture of Vancouver is vastly different to that of Amsterdam. I couldn't help but notice SITS that you did not explain how the riots not occurring for a few years in Berkeley has to do with this culture not rioting; as you admit they did in the past. Your only statement was that any violence occurring in anti-war protests 'in the last couple decades'… "Any notion of present-day anti-war protestors being "stoned out hippies is just silly" "See any mention of rioting or violence erupting in there? No. Because there wasn't any." Violence: noun: exertion of physical force so as to injure or abuse/intense, turbulent, or furious and often destructive action or force/vehement feeling or expression. (meriam-webster) -strength of emotion or an unpleasant or destructive natural force (dictionary.com) "On February 1, 2008, protesters from The World Can't Wait, chained themselves to the doorway of the recruiting office, blocking the entrance, and preventing people from moving in and out." "Protesters began gathering as early as Monday night outside City Hall in anticipation of the Tuesday night meeting. By Tuesday morning, some confrontations had become physical, and police in riot gear moved in to separate the groups. At its peak, 2,000 protesters had gathered outside City Hall, police said." "Three protesters were arrested for minor scuffles with other demonstrators - and a fourth for allegedly slapping a police officer - in what was one of the largest demonstrations in the city in years." "A 49-year-old man from Rocklin (Placer County) and two Berkeley teenagers were arrested in separate scuffles, police said. About 1 p.m., a man supporting the Marines ventured into an encampment by the anti-war group Code Pink and drew a knife. Police arrested Keith Donald Salvatore for brandishing the weapon. He told police he had taken out the knife in self-defense after war protesters wrapped him in a pink banner, said Sgt. Mary Kusmiss, a police spokeswoman." http://articles.sfgate.com/*******-14/bay-area/ *******3_1_council-members-uc-berkeley-berkeley-city-council/2 …clearly peaceful protesting going on in Berkeley. The reason there wasn't much violence; and few people were arrested; is because the police seemed to be siding with the anti-war movements; and allowed them to violate the rights of those trying to live their lives. Was there violence? Yes. Was there a lot? No…There still was violence however. In concern to your comment that rioting has not occurred in Berkeley for some 30 years: "Overnight, an impromptu riot to protest budget cuts and tuition increases at the University of California-Berkeley snowballed to include more than 200 people and resulted in flaming dumpsters, broken windows and dancing in the streets." This is in regards to this year. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/26/berkeley-riot-fire-destru_n_477877.html http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2-arrested-after-berkeley-violence Boy, those cars sure look about 40 years too new to be from the 60s. FogofWar: "You're not welcome here!" -words spoken by the people who claim to be for freedom to a man who is not from the US; solely because he doesn't agree with them.  …don't these clean cut citizens demonstrate how wrong the stereotypical stoned peace activist is hey? FogofWar: To reiterate what you said: violence and rioting does not occur in Berkeley anymore; violence occurring is not from anti-war protestors; Protestors do not support violent actions against the government/troops; present day anti-war protestors are not stoned hippies; "Hit him! Hit him! Hit him!" The words of your 'peaceful' anti-war protestors who don't resort to violence huh? "This is gonna get violent!" In this video; we clearly see that both violence and rioting occur in Berkeley; over a young man trying to recruit to the US Marines. Protestors support violent force against supporters of the military. Although no drug tests were done; it really isn't hard to tell if someone uses them or not…not in this case. FogofWar: Yes Green Eyed Mojo; marijuana is mainly an export from BC; but that's because of the extremely high amount being grown. This doesn't mean that regions in the province do not use excessive amounts in comparison to others either. …and I have never said marijuana makes you violent now did I? In fact; I was never pointing a finger at it being the cause; merely a coincidence. It's not the drug; it's the people who choose to use it…and it's not just marijuana. Most drug users use marijuana as well. It's a part of the culture in certain regions; i.e. Berkeley, and Vancouver it is as well. Riots happen there seemingly more than anywhere else in Canada; and on INSANELY higher levels. Can't say I ever remember another incident where a riot in Canada made the al Jazeera news between stories of Libya and Syria. I do agree, the actions of the 11,000 plus residents do speak on behalf of what the majority of Vancouver's citizens are like…unfortunately for them; all it takes is the pathetic actions of a few to label them all. Ask outbackjack about that one. Malobear: One of the very first things I learned when I moved to Toronto back in the 70s. Canadians hate for someone to refer to their brew as "Beer". Up there its Ale Molsens and Labatts. After living in Toronto for several years I got use to the Ale,the alcohol content was higher. So a six-pack would get ya wasted. And the draft was even better,to me anyways. Another thing about the drug laws. In Toronto,I knew folks that walked down Young Street smoking a joint and would pass a cop and the cop never even look. When it came to anything harder, the cops would throw you under the jail. Canada didnt play around with hard drugs and you would get some serious time if they caught you. Back to topic, If I were to guess, it was the Ale and some troublemakers/sore losers,no doubt. FogofWar: Can't say I have ever heard anyone offended by calling it beer. We all do. Most places do let weed slide....unless it is enough to fine for trafficking..I guess it just isn't worth the paperwork to bust someone for a joint; unless it's a small town and the police have nothing better to do. lol You can't blame the beer anymore than the drugs; it's cultural attitude...I just merely pointed out a common culture for this attitude to exist. ...and yes; I'm more than certain the rioters had their share of beer or ale. |
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