Video: Take Back Our City protest welcomes 2010 Olympics in Vancouver

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      Here are a few videos from the Take Back Our City protest on Friday (February 12), which saw thousands of anti-Olympic protesters rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery and near B.C. Place Stadium.

      Photos: Take Back Our City protest greets opening of 2010 Olympics in Vancouver

      You can follow Stephen Hui on Twitter at twitter.com/stephenhui.

      Comments

      9 Comments

      A tourist to Van

      Feb 13, 2010 at 8:40am

      What do you want to accomplish ..........I mean do you want the world to know about Vancouvers specific issues and you want them to act on your behalf?
      Other countries have similiar issues that they need to deal with. Why would we really care about some idiots in black masks stopping kids from seeing a torch. I mean what is your point ? I am facinated by your ideas

      The Guardian Article (printed)

      Feb 13, 2010 at 10:24am

      No matter the situation, there’s always someone intent on spoiling other people’s fun. Such is the case with Vancouver’s Olympic Games, where a cadre of loudmouth, red-in-the-face activists and hyperbolic critics have unleashed opinion pieces that blame the Games for the closure of local schools and stoke fears of an impending police state. What nonsense. While playing host to the Olympics may have its shortcomings, the massive, Games-led public investment in Vancouver’s infrastructure and arts will benefit residents of this city and province long after the Olympics have closed up shop.”

      — The Guardian

      fed_up

      Feb 13, 2010 at 10:32am

      I'm getting more than fed up with these protesters now. Having your say is one thing. But news reports are now rolling in that a group of between "50 to 200" protesters just smashed windows at the Bay downtown.

      200? Seriously? In a city of TWO MILLION that is .01 percent of our population. It's PATHETIC how small their numbers are. It's disgraceful that such a small and insignificant (yes, I said insignificant) group of people seems hell-bent on ruining our city's image in the world's eye.

      I'm starting to grow extremely weary of the Straight's coverage of these people. We need to start ignoring these tiny little "efforts."

      At their strongest point yesterday they had 2,000 people. Today they have 200. There's more scientologists living in this city right now. There's more neo-nazis living in this city right now. This group is not worth our attention any more...

      Ben

      Feb 13, 2010 at 2:01pm

      what is your point fed_up. that media coverage is only merited by public actions that are taken by a more than two hundred people. your an idiot. i think, if anything, you should be proud to live in a society that allows for dissent. So what if a couple of newspaper boxes were tipped over. so what if a display window was broken. who fuckin cares. those things are cheap and easily repairable. they're nothing compared to the, in my opinion, unimaginable amount of money "invested" in having the olympics in the first place. I think it's great to see people publicly expressing their dissatisfaction with the way their society has chosen to use its resources. it's certainly better than being a bunch of passive aggressive pussies about it.

      I stood on a street corner yesterday morning with hundreds of other people for nearly an hour waiting to see the torch go by and god damn if that wasn't the closest thing that any of us are gonna get, to anything to do with the olympics, other than watching it on the t.v.

      I say good for you my black clad, balaclava wearing friends. your accomplishments may have been meaningless to anyone other than yourselves but i think your probably a hell of a lot better of than the rest of us.

      Thats it though

      Feb 13, 2010 at 2:49pm

      The fact that the group that was behind this morning's events was so small shows us that these were NOT the legitimate protesters ( a group 2000+ large) they were just trouble makers.

      Its frustrating to me because it throws a negative light on the real protesters and their legitimate complaints.

      Can't Stand Professional Protester AKA. Rational

      Feb 13, 2010 at 2:49pm

      If your tired of this than raise up against these losers. Fight them till they realise they shoudl all work hard like the rest of us.

      Dhorea

      Feb 13, 2010 at 3:08pm

      How can "black clad, balaclava wearing" people accomplish anything? they will not, other than distruction
      is that what your really all about
      just a bunch of pissy babies
      your covered faces show the real you.
      how can you say your better when you wont show your faces
      why are you hiding? why are you not proud?
      because you do not really have a cause, you do not really want to help anyone, just want to have a fit in the middle of the road
      go to your room children

      Take back our city

      Feb 13, 2010 at 5:06pm

      What we are trying to accomplish is this..While the government spends 7 billion dollars for a sports event for the Rich..Vancouver has 3000 homeless..Canada's worst child poverty rate..the Vancouver east side is the poorest atrea in Canada..So enjoy your games on the back of the poor and working class