Canucks Central

[Metro-One]

Honestly, I believe that this is a sympton of a larger problem, our society has become far too soft, we have no punishment of consequence anymore, and our schools no longer teach civility / manners.

I hope they use these videos to arrest all those directly seen lighting cars on fire, etc...

As for the police, I honestly believe that their hands are essentially tied, the moment they use any force the human rights crowd will twist it as police brutality.

I am sorry, but these punks need a good lesson. Disgusting.

Edit - i also have no pitty for the onlookers who are hurt as well, these mobs only operate if they have an audience. Those gawking / egging on the primary punks as just as much part of the problem.

For goodness sake, i was even disgusted with the amount of garbage on streets from the first couple games I saw downtown.

[Metro-One]

And this is the problem today, we all have rights, but it seems no one today has responsibility.

And for those claiming that this is no big deal because insurance will pay, well guess what, the insurance companies pay for it by raising everyones insurance costs, so you will pay in the end, not to mention just how much of our city has been destroyed!

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Congratulations to that idiot Gregor Robertson and his utter stupidity in blowing $2 million plus and encouraging yahoos from around the Lower Mainland to trash our city.

That flushing sound is his relection going down the drain, along with Vancouver's reputation.

Yes, blame the Mayor. The same one you would have blamed for "no fun Vancouver" if there was no Canucks celebrating allowed.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

And this is the problem today, we all have rights, but it seems no one today has responsibility.

And for those claiming that this is no big deal because insurance will pay, well guess what, the insurance companies pay for it by raising everyones insurance costs, so you will pay in the end, not to mention just how much of our city has been destroyed!

You said it.

1. Can we have another topic for this? It pains me to see the Canucks linked with this when 99.99% of their fans were just disappointed with the result last night.

2. Seems to be there are far too many armchair experts in here on what the cops should or shouldn't have done. Give it a rest.

[jlousa]

As soon as I heard what was happening to our city I went into the crowd and did my best to stop as much damage as possible. I fought long and hard before throwing in the towel a little after 11pm. Suffered quite a bit of damage but I'll heal, it was absolutely shameful to see my fellow citizens around me telling me to just let them be. The people down there that just let it happen really embarrassed me of being a Vancouverite, grow a set and defend your city.
The Police were limited in what they could go, the job fell on the crowd on deal with the problem makers and they decided to take pictures instead.

[Hed Kandi]

Morning after
CBC reporter Curt Petrovich on the streets of Vancouver Thursday morning:

"The sun is just starting to rise, and all through the downtown core where the fan zones were is scorched pavement where cars and garbage cans and newspaper boxes were set on fire last night. There are orange-vested crews shovelling up glass like snow. There isn't enough glass to replace what's been broken ….

"The Bay was a big target by looters. There's not a window left intact. I can look inside and see that the floors are covered with dirty brown water.

"Everywhere there's a stench of booze, smoke and more distasteful odours."

[giallo]

^^ I commend you on trying, but honestly, it looked like a fruitless effort judging by the videos I've seen. Drunk teenagers in large groups can't be reasoned with. It just doesn't work unfortunately. It's too bad about your injuries. A beer on me when I'm back next month, jlousa.

This poor guy tries at the end of the video and gets pummeled.

• Video Link


I'm still raging about the riot and I'm on the other side of the ocean. My anger towards these jackasses won't be subsiding anytime soon.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Yes, blame the Mayor. The same one you would have blamed for "no fun Vancouver" if there was no Canucks celebrating allowed.

Not at all. Look back through my posts. I've never had a problem with the "no fun Vancouver" moniker. It was earned as a result of behaviour like this. The Granville "Entertainment" District created in an attempt to dispel the "no fun" label is the same kind of disaster but on a smaller scale. Anybody who thinks creating places for liquored-up 20somethings to congregate makes you world-class is sadly mistaken.

What's clear is that blinkers were on to the potential of violence from the Mayor on down. People on my office were predicting it would happen, apaprently it didn't occur to civic governement.

Hey, we're the most popular new story on the BBC website You just can't buy publicity like this, right.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13789612

Great photo from the NY Times. Go Canucks Go. Please.
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2011/06/16/sports/16riot_span.html

[s211]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Not at all. Look back through my posts. I've never had a problem with the "no fun Vancouver" moniker. It was earned as a result of behavior like this. The Granville "Entertainment" District created in an attempt to dispel the "no fun" label is the same kind of disaster but on a smaller scale. Anybody who thinks creating places for liquored-up somethings to congregate makes you world-class is sadly mistaken.

What's clear is that blinkers were on to the potential of violence from the Mayor on down. People on my office were predicting it would happen, apparently it didn't occur to civic government.Hey, we're the most popular new story on the BBC website You just can't buy publicity like this, right.:roll eyes:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13789612

Great photo from the NY Times. Go Conics Go. Please.
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2011/06/16/sports/16riot_span.html

If the city administration thinks it can wash its hands of this debacle, good luck. This was a recipe for disaster, and no amount of naivety can be used as a defense.

[mezzanine]

Originally Posted by jlousa

As soon as I heard what was happening to our city I went into the crowd and did my best to stop as much damage as possible. I fought long and hard before throwing in the towel a little after 11pm. Suffered quite a bit of damage but I'll heal, it was absolutely shameful to see my fellow citizens around me telling me to just let them be. The people down there that just let it happen really embarrassed me of being a Vancouverite, grow a set and defend your city.
The Police were limited in what they could go, the job fell on the crowd on deal with the problem makers and they decided to take pictures instead.

I hope you are doing ok. if anything, i hope the photo-takers will help to turn in these morons.

[wrenegade]

Look at this piece of shit:



A stupid piece of shit at that. Doesn't even cover his face while lighting a cop car on fire.

I was in English Bay enjoying a beer on a beach when the riots started. Came back downtown and it was a mess. I couldn't believe how badly the police were prepared. It took them way way way too long to act in a number of different areas. While wasn't tear gas/pepperspray used earlier? (by the way, that shit works, I was two blocks away on Hornby and felt it). Where were the fire hoses? I couldn't believe they didn't have a pumper truck or two just sitting at the fan zone with a police presence at the ready. As soon as the first car got turned over the police should have got on the loud speaker and ordered people to disperse, and if/when they didn't, turn the damn hoses on them.

Whether or not Gregor should be ultimately responsible for this, Jim Chu should resign or be fired. I couldn't believe watching the news seeing Sears being looted at Howe & Robson with a line of police in riot gear a block away doing sweet fuck all. Standing back, playing it calm was not the correct response. The fact that the situation was still out of control 3 hours after the game is ridiculous. If things were still out of hand an hour after game time thats one thing, but 3? Inexcusable.

Also, I agree with the statement mentioned earlier that consolidating all the bars into an "entertainment zone" is a recipe for disaster.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by awvan

I couldn't believe how badly the police were prepared. It took them way way way too long to act in a number of different areas...Where were the fire hoses? I couldn't believe they didn't have a pumper truck or two just sitting at the fan zone with a police presence at the ready. As soon as the first car got turned over the police should have got on the loud speaker and ordered people to disperse...

Whether or not Gregor should be ultimately responsible for this, Jim Chu should resign or be fired. I couldn't believe watching the news seeing Sears being looted at Howe & Robson with a line of police in riot gear a block away doing sweet fuck all. Standing back, playing it calm was not the correct response...Inexcusable.

The total lack of a proper police response when and where it was needed (especially at the corner of Homer and Georgia, where it all started, and later at the historic Hudson Bay building, which was almost allowed to burn down) was absolutely outrageous.

Total incompetence on part of the police authorities. Heads should roll.

[Hourglass]

jlousa, hope you didn't get hurt too badly...

This is just so heartbreaking. One would have thought that the lesson would have been learned back in 1994.

I have a question to anyone who was there -- how was the police presence earlier in the evening? One thing I've noticed in various other cities when there is a large crowd (eg during the Donauinselfest open-air concert in Vienna or the Chinese New Year fireworks in Hong Kong) is that there is also a massive and apparent police presence -- not only to maintain crowd control but also (I'm assuming) to act as a deterrent and catch trouble-makers early. Were the police out in force early?

[agrant]

The 94 riot had a noticeably larger police presence from what I've seen of video footage. Same result, but the police in that riot were accused of brutality and there were law suits.... You can't win.

[Prometheus]

By the way, did anyone else envision this historic playoff run turning out a little differently? You know, a little more gloriously?

Total humiliation on so many levels.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by agrant

The 94 riot had a noticeably larger police presence from what I've seen of video footage. Same result, but the police in that riot were accused of brutality and there were law suits.... You can't win.

That's not how the 1994 riot began at all. Read the official reports. Contrary to popular myth, the main problem in 1994 was that the police were completely caught off gaurd. Thus, instead of having too much presence, they had virtually no presence at all. As a result, the police didn't have the assets in place to deal with the initial acts of destruction. Much like last night, the absence of a quick and adequate police response in the early stages allowed the initial, containable acts of destruction to gain momentum and develop into a full-fledged, uncontrollable riot. By the time the police had assembled a larger force, it was too late.

Moreover, the results were not the same. The destruction caused by this riot far exceeds the destruction caused in 1994, as the next few days will make clear. The downtown core came this fucking close to burning to the ground this time around.

[WarrenC12]

Can people stop blaming the police and the mayor for this? Give your god damn head a shake.

[vango]

We need a regional police force. VPD is too small for these major events and calling in neighbouring forces takes too long and appears disorganized.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Can people stop blaming the police and the mayor for this? Give your god damn head a shake.

Give your own god damn head a shake. No one is arguing that the mayor's poor planning and the police's inadequate preparation and flawed strategy excuse in the slightest the criminal acts of any individual. The rioters, and the rioters alone, are to blame for their criminal acts.

The mayor and police are being blamed only for failing to do what it was their job to do, what we pay them to do: to have an effective plan in place to either prevent or properly combat such criminal acts.

What part of that can't you get your head around?

[agrant]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

That's not how the 1994 riot began at all. Read the official reports. Contrary to popular myth, the main problem in 1994 was that the police were completely caught off gaurd. Thus, instead of having too much presence, they had virtually no presence at all. As a result, the police didn't have the assets in place to deal with the initial acts of destruction. Much like last night, the absence of a quick and adequate police response in the early stages allowed the initial, containable acts of destruction to gain momentum and develop into a full-fledged, uncontrollable riot. By the time the police had assembled a larger force, it was too late.

Moreover, the results were not the same. The destruction caused by this riot far exceeds the destruction caused in 1994, as the next few days will make clear. The downtown core came this fucking close to burning to the ground this time around.

By result, I mean simply a riot. A riot can be created in minutes, and I think that was the case yesterday. It is also very fluid, and these groups of thugs can simply move somewhere else and do damage. In 94, police tried to respond to the hostile crowd when an ambulance was trying to get through..., but that's when things escalated. Police didn't want to repeat that this time. That's probably why there was a lot more patience being shown.

And yea, stop blaming the police!