Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson calls Stanley Cup riot "embarrassing and shameful"
Mayor Gregor Robertson says he's embarrassed by the riot in downtown Vancouver following the Canucks' Stanley Cup loss.
He's urging the public to stay away from the downtown core.
Robertson issued the following statement this evening (June 15):
It is extremely disappointing to see the situation in downtown Vancouver turn violent after tonight’s Stanley Cup game. Vancouver is a world-class city and it is embarrassing and shameful to see the type of violence and disorder we’ve seen tonight.
The vast majority of people who were in the downtown tonight were there to enjoy the game in a peaceful and respectful manner. It is unfortunate that a small number of people intent on criminal activity have turned pockets of the downtown into areas involving destruction of property and confrontations with police.
The Vancouver Police and Vancouver Fire Department are doing an exceptional job under challenging circumstances to maintain control of the situation and keep people safe, and emergency crews are working tirelessly to assist those who were injured.
The priority is public safety and ensuring that people can leave the downtown area to make their way home without further incident. Transit is operating at full capacity.
I urge the public to remain calm and to stay away from central downtown in order to assist police in restoring safety to our streets.
You can follow Stephen Hui on Twitter at twitter.com/stephenhui.
Comments
6 Comments
Save Vancouver
Jun 15, 2011 at 11:09pm
What's "embrassing and shameful" Mr. Mayor is your ridiculous naivete in inviting hundred of thousands of people downtown when any fool could have told you this was bound to happen.
Charlie
Jun 16, 2011 at 4:02am
Hundreds if not thousands took part in the riots and refused to leave when the police moved in. The vast majority of people downtown were part of the problem. Did you see the majority leave when tear gas was fired? No, I saw them flipping off police and getting more obnoxious. These are Vancouver residents - time to admit as a parent you've raised some bad kids. Why was the police response so slow? What part of the 1994 riot did you forget about? You can't compare hockey finals to the Olympics - a worldwide wealthy and educated audience patrolled by 100X more police. You made a big mistake by inviting so many predictable Vancouverites into downtown and then not having the police force ready and that's why this escalated to this degree. But hey, thanks for all the bike lanes and parking meters on every street corner!
Strategis
Jun 16, 2011 at 11:50am
I think politicians should be embarrassed to jump on board the professional sports bandwagon and encourage this destructive and wasteful obsession and distraction. They are alot like the Roman politicians with their circuses and bread to the masses to keep them "happy". It isn't just a few hooligans. It's the spirit of a crappy game (commercial hockey) expanding itself out into society. Violent and crude team spectator sports legitimize violence and engender mob consciousness (group think). This is how the ultra rich controlling elite shape the populace into competitive tribalism (identification with your group in a dog eat dog law of the jungle culture) in order to embrace unjust, illegal, expensive, security diminishing, murderous wars that are essential to progressively transform global society into a police state. The public pay billions of dollars in taxes to build and maintain these massive stadiums and provide security for these gladiatorial displays of insanity that bring out the worst in people and turn them into slavering idiots that get either ecstatic or depressed about nothing of importance - on cue like mindless programmed robots. By idolizing sports celebrities who are modern day gladiators who commit acts of physical prowess and violence for profit, we internalise in the masses the values which found expression in the senseless violence which we witnessed on the streets of Vancouver last night. Men and women who spoke to the violent sports fans and asked them not to destroy their cars and other property were savagely beaten while the crowd simply stood and cheered the violence, just as in the game.
Lee Leeman
Jun 16, 2011 at 2:32pm
The budget for controlling 100,000 street partiers was not available. Spent on empty bike lanes no doubt.
shoegazer
Jun 16, 2011 at 9:17pm
This coming from the"accidental mayor".What sort of buffoon would not expect this sort of thing to happen when you invite every asshole and their brother into the downtown core to participate in"the celebration"of the Stanley Cup.This clown makes previous"accidental mayor"Sam Sullivan look like Dwight Eisenhower and this is coming from a life long
New Democrat who has now serious doubts over the validity of the party as it is represented in today's reality.
Dave Pasin
Jun 17, 2011 at 9:37am
As we all know there are several questions that need to be answered.
1)What was the budget for policing for the Game 7?
2)Why were police not checking Skytrain riders as they got off the trains for booze, weapons and other contraband (see Fireworks for details)
3)Why did it take hours to call for reinforcements from outside police forces?
4)Why were off duty officers NOT called in as reinforcements BEFORE the event?
5) Why were the fences and access points opened to allow even more people into the area?
6)Why did it take so long to respond to the violence and looting on Granville Street?
7)Where were the Skytrain/Transit Police during the day when open drinking onboard the trains by many was taking place?
8)Why was the Bearcat APC - VPD Riot Vehicle not ready to be deployed and/or used?
9)Why was there no initial support for the VFRS to get their vehicles in to put the fires out?
10)Why was the ERT team seemingly overwhelmed in 2 different locations?
11) Finally...... WHO planned this mess and what was the rationale for cheaping out?
Just a few questions that NEED to be answered?
Perhaps Hizzoner and Ms. Ballem would like to step up and answer some of these questions in a credible manner!