Confirmed with Link: ESPN 30 for 30: I’m Just Here For The Riot

[rypper]

I was watching the game with a group of friends that we always would get together and watch playoff games together. In between periods we'd play ball hockey or ea nhl.

This one was different all focus. When the game was getting out of hand we just started drinking our sorrows away. I don't even remember the 3rd, have never seen the cup celebration. Don't really ever need to either. The only memory I have from that was I think a picture of Milan Lucic's girlfriend in huge ass heels walking on the ice.

My then gf, now wife drove my pathetic ass home and I just watched the madness on TV.

 

[RandV]

I'd often wonder how... trying to think of a word here, maybe 'artificial' the 2011 riot was. I don't know why the specifically the '94 riots happened, bit of a different time but it put the idea in the back of the wrong peoples head 'if we lose we riot'. Then the 2010 Olympics was a smashing success having massive groups of people downtown for a big hockey game party. If say, we won the Cup in '94 and no riot, and/or there was no 2010 Vancouver Olympics, would the 2011 loss have lead to a riot?

Personally I always felt it was a little tame as far as these things go. Vancouver's downtown core is a peninsula, so once you cram so many people downtown it takes a good while to disperse them. Creates a large crowd of mostly people trying to go home giving cover to people looking to cause trouble. By the time the crowd was dispersed and night came you had a crowd left of maybe 1000 diehards still sticking around (kissing couple included) being babysat by the entire police force.

 

[Huggy43]

There was a few people that got fired (and arrested and charged) because they bragged on Facebook about their actions ij the riot. Some guy named Brock comes to mind as the most prolifically reported - he bragged in great detail about a number of crimes he committed that night.

I wish I still had the screen shot I took of craigslist the next day. Countless people just outing themselves with reselling the stuff they just stole.

 

[StreetHawk]

Gonna make a thread on this, it looks like there gonna talk about some of people who were involved and the consequences that followed by their actions.

Also takes a look at sporting events in general and the backlash of the fallout.

It’s from the person who produced ‘Finding Big Country’, so this can be really good..or really open wounds by diehards who suffered the highs and lows of the 2011 Finals.

Who’s ready for the trauma again? Lol

Such a great partner ESPN is to grow the game with isn’t it? Between this and having their top personality and his moderator completely ignore the rangers as the next NY team to win a championship on one of their segments in the past few weeks, such a match made in heaven.

 

[604]

Was at the game with a buddy (and game 6 in Boston).

Watched the game and Cup presentation.

When leaving, a cop stopped us and asked where we were headed, we let him know Marinaside and Davie. Basically he told us, you want trouble, you'll find it near Library Square...you want to go home the easy way, walk through Yaletown.

Went home, had a few drinks, had brunch on the patio of the Lennox Pub the next day and the streets were cleaned up. No issues...still mad about the loss. Feel nothing about the riot.

The riot was over publicised and overrated.

 

[Peen]

Was at the game with a buddy (and game 6 in Boston).

Watched the game and Cup presentation.

When leaving, a cop stopped us and asked where we were headed, we let him know Marinaside and Davie. Basically he told us, you want trouble, you'll find it near Library Square...you want to go home the easy way, walk through Yaletown.

Went home, had a few drinks, had brunch on the patio of the Lennox Pub the next day and the streets were cleaned up. No issues...still mad about the loss. Feel nothing about the riot.

The riot was over publicised and overrated.

I also did not know it was a thing until I got out of Vancouver and my mother put the radio on.

 

[Uhmkay]

Was at Game 7, by the time I got out of the building the Riot was well underway. I live in the West End near Stanley Park and had to walk through the riots to get home. Almost got smoked by a cop with a baton because he seemed to think I was sneaking up on him when I turned the corner. Made it home and then had to try to contact my cousin who had come over from the Island with his girlfriend... his parents were freaking out. He got to my place about 30 minutes after I did and we just sat and watched the riots on TV.

Next time just win the game please.

 

[Zippgunn]

Brock Anton. Since I already shared with Reddit, this is my take on the riot:

I was also downtown, I was settled up next to the CBC building...got there very early, was the only time my mum ever encouraged me skipping school. Security was fairly lax, city needed to do a better job.

For example, I had just turned 18 and I was able to procure some vodka that I brought in a clear plastic bottle that I stuffed inside my lawn chair bag. Some of my friends started drinking on the Skytrain, but I wanted to watch the game sober and drink after (had we won). I get to the security checkpoint, they check my backpack "all good" they wave me in, I being the naive and trying my best to be morally upstanding youngen, I say "you want to check my lawn chair bag?" they say no. I'm in.

I had actually talked to my mum in the car and we both agreed there would be a riot had they lost. Looking back, I can't believe she let me go. She was strict, but my dad worked downtown so my entire family went to his building to watch the game. I knew shit was gonna hit the fan during the 2nd intermission, guys were climbing on top of the porta-potties and a lady got punched and was being taken away by police to be looked after. I was pretty down on the experience, I cried a little bit and wanted to go home but my friends insisted on watching the Cup be raised. That got shutdown when fans started hurling bottles at the screen and they rolled them up.

Me and 2 other of my buddies wanted nothing to do with downtown anymore. But some of our group wanted to stay for the riot, one wanted to flip some Smartcars but I told him we don't do that. Finally we coaxed them to leave on the Skytrain, my family was stranded for awhile downtown. Didn't get home until much later.

That has to be up there with one of the worst, most memorable days I ever had. It was embarrassing watching people act like angry monkeys over a hockey game. Total disgrace. It was even more enraging to watch people my age who got prosecuted plead "I'm just a kid". I wasn't the smartest kid, quite average in fact, some of my friends wanting to stay got much better grades than I did. They should just know better and try and rise above the rest as citizens, I have no sympathy for them (those prosecuted) to this day.

I love it, ..."managed to procure some vodka..., ...city needed to do a better job...". Right, blame the city...

 

[alternate]

Why ESPN would bother is beyond me........but having to re-live one of the darkest days in Vancouver history is too good for them to pass up I guess.

The 'apologists' will be out in full force, like Fox News trying to 'white-wash' the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington, D.C. "It really wasn't as 'bad' as the 'left-wing' pinko media is saying it was."

At least, unlike the Capital insurrection, nobody died during the Stanley Cup riots. But the images will last forever. And this documentary will be painful for many.....but I guess that's as it should be.

It'll help everyone vow that it will never happen again in Vancouver.

Honestly, if you think this was one of the darkest days in Vancouver history, you need to brush up on Vancouver's history.

I watched the game from a buddy's just across one of the bridges from downtown. After the game, we went down to the riot, mostly staying on the fringe and didn't take part in any of the smashing or looting.

After a while, we hit a pub. It was a bit surreal watching the riot on TV while seeing smoke from burning cars out the window.

But it was mostly just material things getting broken. Felt the cops had a perimeter and made the right call not escalating the violence by worrying about broken windows and looted liquor stores.

I was working downtown at the time and walked around during my lunch break. Lots of positive community energy in Vancouver that day. After '94 and the GNR concert, the whole thing just sort of had a "this is what we do" vibe, and honestly don't see the point of this show.

 

[Breakers]

There was that professional mountain Biker who had like 8 molotov cocktails in his backpack

his career was ruined as it should be

hopefully they get some interviews with him.

 

[Siludin]

Honestly, if you think this was one of the darkest days in Vancouver history, you need to brush up on Vancouver's history.

I watched the game from a buddy's just across one of the bridges from downtown. After the game, we went down to the riot, mostly staying on the fringe and didn't take part in any of the smashing or looting.

After a while, we hit a pub. It was a bit surreal watching the riot on TV while seeing smoke from burning cars out the window.

But it was mostly just material things getting broken. Felt the cops had a perimeter and made the right call not escalating the violence by worrying about broken windows and looted liquor stores.

I was working downtown at the time and walked around during my lunch break. Lots of positive community energy in Vancouver that day. After '94 and the GNR concert, the whole thing just sort of had a "this is what we do" vibe, and honestly don't see the point of this show.

I greatly enjoyed how everything was cleaned up by like... noon the next day, short of the bordered up windows.

I heard they kept all the signed boards that were covering the windows at the Granville Skytrain exit? Thought there would be an exhibit or used in an art piece or something someday. Anyone know what happened with those?

 

[kcunac]

I love it, ..."managed to procure some vodka..., ...city needed to do a better job...". Right, blame the city...

For sure the police needed to do a better job. See post below yours re: several Molotov cocktails in his backpack. This should not be allowed at a major public event (or anywhere). Public safety needs to be the priority.

Of course the individuals needed to be more responsible and should be held accountable, and many/most are. There is blame both on lack of prevention and on those involved.

Frankly I don’t know how anyone can defend anyone on either side for this. Everyone knew it was going to happen. The media were practically daring it to.

The whole ordeal is disgusting and embarrassing for the city and the franchise. I live and work outside the region and it is such a pleasure that the first thing people always refer to about the Canucks is the riot. Never mind Montreal does the same for a first round exit.

 

[racerjoe]

If I remember correctly, it wasn't the Police, they called for more officers, but the Mayor declined to send them. That is by memory though so I could be wrong.

 

[Zombotron]

I heard they kept all the signed boards that were covering the windows at the Granville Skytrain exit? Thought there would be an exhibit or used in an art piece or something someday. Anyone know what happened with those?

I remember hearing they were used in new housing construction

 

[Zombotron]

I could not find a citation on the boards being used in new construction, but I did find this:

The Museum of Vancouver acquired some of them for an exhibition called Reading the Riot Boards

 

[Siludin]

I could not find a citation on the boards being used in new construction, but I did find this:

The Museum of Vancouver acquired some of them for an exhibition called Reading the Riot Boards

Oh nice I found a website for the exhibit

Reading the Riot Boards — MOV | Museum of Vancouver

museumofvancouver.ca

It's obviously 10 years old but I guess those would be the folks to ask

 

[604]

For sure the police needed to do a better job. See post below yours re: several Molotov cocktails in his backpack. This should not be allowed at a major public event (or anywhere). Public safety needs to be the priority.

Of course the individuals needed to be more responsible and should be held accountable, and many/most are. There is blame both on lack of prevention and on those involved.

Frankly I don’t know how anyone can defend anyone on either side for this. Everyone knew it was going to happen. The media were practically daring it to.

The whole ordeal is disgusting and embarrassing for the city and the franchise. I live and work outside the region and it is such a pleasure that the first thing people always refer to about the Canucks is the riot. Never mind Montreal does the same for a first round exit.

Cops handled it fairly well as nobody died. That was the goal this time as they were more heavy handed the prior time and people died.

There was some property damage but everything was cleaned up by the morning the next day, and it was contained to a pretty small area.

I hope the documentary highlights that people had a great time all playoffs and the community really came together to clean up the mess very quickly afterwards. Seems the media went after the City really hard because this happened so close to the great olympics we had (with very similar parties).

I’ve been to after “celebrations” in Barcelona, post soccer matches, where there was significantly more damage done than in our riot, yet there was no media coverage and certainly no “shaming” as you describe.

 

[Hit the post]

Honestly, if you think this was one of the darkest days in Vancouver history, you need to brush up on Vancouver's history.

The anti-asian riots in the 1900s comes to mind. As well as that ship from India that was prevented from docking in Vancouver (can't remember the name but it's rather infamous in Vancouver history). There has always been a strong racist element in past BC history.

 

[alternate]

The anti-asian riots in the 1900s comes to mind. As well as that ship from India that was prevented from docking in Vancouver (can't remember the name but it's rather infamous in Vancouver history). There has always been a strong racist element in past BC history.

The Komagata Maru.

 

[Egghead1999]

Honestly, if you think this was one of the darkest days in Vancouver history, you need to brush up on Vancouver's history.

......

Why not? I believe it was one of the darkest days in the Van history.You cannot bring in the old day and say our "ancestors" did worse. Unless this was not the norm in those old days, they only followed the crowd.

 

[Egghead1999]

If I remember correctly, it wasn't the Police, they called for more officers, but the Mayor declined to send them. That is by memory though so I could be wrong.

More officers could not solve the issue. They only asked more police because they expected more people.
I remember, in the news, the police did not aware that certain groups prepared to loot stores after the game.

 

[Hit the post]

Why not? I believe it was one of the darkest days in the Van history.You cannot bring in the old day and say our "ancestors" did worse. Unless this was not the norm in those old days, they only followed the crowd.

For some other POV, 10+ years is "ancient history".

 

[kcunac]

Cops handled it fairly well as nobody died. That was the goal this time as they were more heavy handed the prior time and people died.

There was some property damage but everything was cleaned up by the morning the next day, and it was contained to a pretty small area.

Just to be clear my complaint is regarding prevention not what happened after the riot started. Maybe that’s on the city as much as the cops.

 

[EpochLink]

I'll always cherish the 2010-2011 season in my Canuck fandom.
Those last two games were heartbreaking and that riot was a clusterf***.

..and we are here 12 years later of what could've been.
Such is life.

Also, the Finals was a turning point in the second half of 2011.
A lot of bad happened afterwards.

 

[kaiser matias]

The Komagata Maru.

Which also had a link to hockey: the first immigration on board the ship was one Fred Taylor, known to the public as Cyclone Taylor, star hockey player for the Vancouver Millionaires.

Outside of hockey he worked in immigration, rising up through the ranks after he stopped playing, becoming commissioner for BC and the Yukon, and being awarded a Member of the British Empire medal (the same thing the Beatles were given).