A Terrible Night after A Terrible Hockey Defeat

VANCOUVER--All that was gained, lost.

What sport did for Vancouver last year, it did to Vancouver last night. And if this gorgeous, wealthy city was more than happy to benefit from the goodwill, joy and prosperity delivered by the Olympics last year, it has to now accept that the rioting and widespread lawlessness that struck the city core in the wake of the Canucks' Game 7 loss to Boston cannot be completely disassociated from sport, either.

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The temptation will be to say this was a small group of people causing trouble, and that it had nothing to do with hockey.

Well, yes and no.

First, it wasn't a small group. We're talking hundreds, probably thousands, of citizens involved in the ugliness that erupted even as Gary Bettman was handing the Stanley Cup to Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. Having been around other sport "riots," I can tell you this was a whole other level.

Vancouver was an ugly, dangerous city last night, and people got hurt. Frightening. Not just police cars on fire. Not just looting and tear gas. Stabbings. Vicious, fights. Wanton violence accompanied by the joyful whoops and hollering of young people who apparently believed they were part of something exciting and were having a great time.

The game ended at about 7:45 local time, and by midnight weary riot police were still trying to disperse crowds. As I watched from my hotel balcony on Burrard St., a line of riot cops walked up the street, police dogs barking, police sirens wailing, a police helicopter overhead shining a light down on the street.

When Montreal "fans" went wild two years ago after a first round playoff victory over Boston, it was contained to a small area of the downtown. Passersby watched it almost as a surreal sport unfolding, but unless you were in the middle of it, there seemed to be nothing to fear. It was over quickly.

Not this last night in Vancouver. It went on for hours. At one point, there were four separate areas where police were trying to stop violence and looting. People were left lying on the street covering in blood. Crazed young men smashed windows of stores and business, ignoring police commands to disperse, seemingly uncaring that they were being videotaped and photographed, as if they believed they were untouchable.

It was like the city had lost its mind. Over a bloody hockey game.

It was anarchy, and somehow, it was not just about Vancouver, a place where fans are encouraged by local media to believe there is a conspiracy to deny them ultimate success, but also about the Canucks. Everywhere you looked those who were committing crimes did so while wearing Canucks jerseys with Kesler, Sedin and even Bure across the back of the shoulders. Cop cars on fire with goons wearing Canuck sweaters dancing nearby. Just as Oakland Raider garb was once the choice clothing for California gangstas, now Canucks jerseys will be associated with this terrible night, a night which locals insist was much worse than what occurred 17 years earlier after Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final against the New York Rangers.

Last year after the Olympics, many of us felt the peaceful, joyful crowds that assembled every night in the downtown streets were the real story of the Games. I'll always remember the long yet happy lines outside The Bay, people waiting for hours just to get a chance to buy a piece of Olympic memorabilia. Last night, that same store was under siege, left with smashed windows, as if it had become a target rather than a peaceful gathering place.

There will be many questions to be answered about the police presence and how this was handled, or mishandled. It will be the big story, bigger than the shocking collapse of the Canucks, a team that sat atop the NHL all year and then was flattened in the Cup final by a determined Boston team. City officials promised they were ready and in control, but reports suggested the police presence was too light, and that police were simply overwhelmed by fast-moving mobs as they started fires and looted Sears, Chapters and London Drugs stores. How could they have been caught by surprise - again?

But more important will be what this, the riots and the ugliness, says not just about Vancouver, but about the Canucks' place in it. You can hardly blame the hockey team for what happened, yet at the same time its the Canucks who seem to be the match that lights the civic lawlessness in this city. 

There's a strange mentality here that the NHL is out to get the Canucks, to deny them their rightful victories, and it's propagated by some very prominent media voices. There's always booing when Bettman tries to present the Cup, but it was deafening at Rogers Arena last night, an apparent expression of a belief that the NHL screwed the Canucks, that suspending defenceman Aaron Rome, for example, was unfair and unjust and part of some grand conspiracy.

People really believe this stuff. Even after the game, Canucks coach Alain Vigneault bitterly talked about a Boston "plan" to defeat the Canucks that was based on illegal hits after the whistle, implying the league had done nothing to keep the games fair.

It goes back to the hysterical reaction to the Steve Moore hit on Markus Naslund that precipitated the Todd Bertuzzi attack on Moore, one of the ugliest pieces of violence in NHL history. There's this suspicion that everything isn't above board, that Canuck players are treated more harshly. Even last night, there were wild rumours that Boston's Nathan Horton, injured by Rome's headshot earlier in the series, was going to play in the game, thus proving that his injury had simply been a pretence to deprive Vancouver of its chance to win the Cup.

There are many here who also fervently believe Toronto, and the rest of Canada, hates Vancouver and wants the Canucks to lose, which again fuels this bizarre sense of paranoia that permeates the hockey atmosphere in this town.

Did that paranoia create last night's riots? No. But its part of the story here, part of the anger and bitterness here, part of why a local reporter, angered that they were still blaring the music inside the arena last night long after the teams had left the ice, remarked, "Bloody Bettman" when he was told the music had to continue under orders from arena management.

Idiots and criminals created last night's ugliness. But hockey and this town's hockey atmosphere were part of it as well. You cannot pretend otherwise.

 

Comments

[Drew Ford]

Well, as an Ontarian, this tells me everything I need to know about Vancouver fans. What a classless display that you wouldn't see in a more confident, civilized city.

[Frank T.]

It's not only in Vancouver.

This myth that we tell our kids - and they'll their kids - about how polite Canadians are it's just that, a myth.

See what happened in hockey "celebrations" in Montreal, Vancouver, the riots in Toronto's G20, the horrible behaviour in traffic on all our big cities, the example we give our kids in hockey arenas throughout the country when we cheer cowards hits on the board, cheer the fights among grown(but not adults) men..

And we call ourselves polite ??!!? "Oh, we Canadians are so polite" "We are so different from our Neanderthal cousins south of the border".

Really ?!?? You know who can call themselves polite ? (actually, too polite if you ask me): the Japanese.

Many people in Japan had their lives destroyed, were fighting to find loved ones, recover a few of their memories, AND THEY WERE lining up quietly for food and shelter ?!? No riots??? No attacking on the police ??!

NOW THAT'S the definition of politeness for me.

The Japanese are not perfect people - none of us are - and they have the nationalism ill to deal with and other issues and problems, but at least on this specific topic, if anyone on this globe can call their people polite, is the Japanese - and funny they don't do that... But we, Canadians, love to brag about this so called politeness that we possess - oh, the arrogance and hypocrisy.

c.

[Valentino Assenza]

What happened in Vancouver was unfortunate, and I know that it represents a miniscule percentage of the population and should not reflect on the city. But I have to wonder how many posters on here pointing the dirty end of the stick in Vancouver's direction are from Toronto acting holier than thou? We seem to have a short memory, remember the G20? In our own downtown core was turned into a war zone as well. BOTH ACTS ARE DISGRACEFUL!!!

It's unfortunate that people are only focusing on the negative. No one focused on how the Vancouver fans actually cheered members of the Boston Bruins when they hoisted the cup. No one is focusing on the fact that there is a facebook group that is asking people to come downtown and help clean up the mess.

Everyone is just happy focusing on the negative, and as unfortunate as those events that happened in Vancouver were, it's that much more unfortunate, when the mudslingers, still have mud stains themselves. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones....lighten up!

[R of A]

So Vancouver citizens, you are all either paranoid or a bunch of hooligans...how does it feel to be stereotyped or labelled? You were all involved in the riots weren't you? Hmmm, I wonder, is that any worse than stereotyping or labeling people from Ontario as being `cold`?

[The Fonze]

The Gall of Cox to critisize the Vancouver local media in one of the most hyperbolic and unrealistic articles I have ever read. No mention that 20 K Vancouver fans chanted Tim Thomas, out of respect? People who light cars on fire obviously have to bring an accelerant and be prepared ahead of time....and I seriously doubt it was 'Thousands of people' I think it was more likeley that there were thousands of people there, but that only a few dozen were doing anything wrong. Cox your holier than though attitude makes me sick and between you and the absolutley unreadable Cathel Kelley, its no wonder that people like me who read hockey articles everyday, all year long, have stopped (for the most part) reading mainstream papers like the Star, whose hockey coverage gets more hyperbolic and less accurate by the day. I have a degree in journalism and have interned at a paper, so I suggest you take my advice seriously rather than the condescending disregard you have for most of your critics.

[Mark]

Vancouver fans suck they act just like Tornto there all on drugs they got no respect i hate Vancouver as well but still i would not do what they do are all Vancouvers retarted like that you could not pay me to even visit the place really think about it who wants losers like Vancouver all i can say is Vancouver is not the place to be your all losers

[Michael Fawson]

Not a proud moment for Vancouver. Their team lost of followers during the play-offs because of their poor sportsmanship......and the more deserving team won the Stanley Cup. Now, the team's supporters have shown the world what poor sports they are.

[Paul Dunn]

Damien, I don't want to make any exscuses for the Canucks, because they simply disappeared in this series. Luongo was exposed as the average goalie that he is and not the "great" goalie he is made out to be. But come on Damien, were you not paying attention? Alain Vigneault was right, that was Boston's plan, and they played it out to perfection - and the refs did NOTHING. Punches to the face after the whistle - especially if you were a Sedin, was almost a given. Heck, no call, hey, here's three more. It was sad to watch. If the game was called the way the rules are stated both sides would have taken far more penalties, and that may, or may not have changed the outcome, but the refs clearly weren't interested in penalizing the crap that happened after the whistle and that was puzzling. It became clear that the Canucks, particularly in Boston, we're intimidated. That and Luongo was horrible. Congratulations to the Bruins, they did what they had to win, but you cannot print a story that tries to deny what we all witnessed. You couldn't have missed it, it happened after EVERY whistle. I am not a Canucks fan, I am a die hard Leafs fan so I have no bias. One last thing, congrats to Thomas Kaberle, he finally gets the Cup that he and Sundin tried so hard to win. Hopefully we get a good pick or a good player in the trading of the pick(s).

[Michael Miller]

People need to wake up and realize what this is actually about and why it occurs.

The opening line about Vancouver being a wealthy gorgeous city belies what's happening not just in Vancouver, but especially in Vancouver.

The last time I was there... I was downtown, on the fringe of Gastown and I surely noticed cops chasing people on foot and by car, way more than I'd ever seen on any occasion in over 10 years in Toronto. I remember thinking... how can this terrific city have such an ugly side? I saw druggies on the street everywhere. Drop in centres etc.

Point is... the facade doesn't cut it. At the core, the city has a huge problem. There are a whole whack of disenfranchised people all over that city like any other. It's just that the seperation is wider in Vancouver.

This is all about the haves and the have nots and the have nots were out there tearing it up... scaring the hell out of the haves. I think that was the point. The game 7 loss only provided the gathering and the opportunity to spark a little mayhem. It's there seething, just not expressed en masse daily.

Michael Miller
Ajax, ON

[TreatThemLikeBabies]

Vancouver's obvious insecurity manages to outshine their talented athletes, who actually did very well to make it as far as they did. What an incredible embarrassment! The Canucks should be suspended from playing next season because of this. That would teach those neanderthals who trashed the place. Wouldn't be any riots next time, guaranteed.

[TranaSucks]

First of all, take Thomas out of the equation and the mighty Bruins are NOTHING - they wouldn't have even made it out of the first round. Secondly, the officiating in these playoffs make CONCACAF look respectable. Bettman, Campbell, and the NHL were going to make sure that Boston won...period. Facts are fact.

[aftermath]

The NHL should take a page from the Serie A; when teams fans do this (hello to you in Montreal also), make them play some home games in an empty arena. Playing in an empty Rogers Centre for their first five home games next year would be fitting.

Oh, and none of that BS about this was only hooligans, not Canucks fans. Look at any picture, there are plenty of people in Canucks gears cheering on the rioting and looting. At a minimum those kindly, pacifist fans could have stepped in and stopped the few troublemakers given that they vastly outnumbered them.

[Art]

Pathetic team of whiners.
Pathetic small-minded little town.
That about sums up Vancouver and the Canucks.
Lived there for a year when opening up a branch of my business; could not stand the local attitude.

[l.mees]

Living in Europe for many years I've had to endure the snide remarks about Europe's soccer hooligans. I guess this will be a mute discussion from now on thanks for that Vancouver fans!
I am always boasting about how this would never happen in Canada. There was an article in the European papers last year praising the sport loving, classy canadians for their behaviour at tournaments/playoffs etc. Of course the writer of the article was enjoying a game in Ontario

[Dave Shute]

Well done! This article captures so much of what I have grown to dislike about Vancouver. Colleagues at my company in Vancouver have been brutally arrogant and cocky when it comes to their team...to the point where I only cheered for the Bruins because I was sick of their attitude. Earlier in the series, I wavered at one point. I started to get the "normal" feelings I have this time of year---cheer for the last standing team from Canada because I am Canadaian and hockey is CANADA! When I heard that fans in Vancouver were pelting the grandparent's of Bruins forward Milan Lucic with popcorn, peanuts and other debris while attending a game and a few other shameful events, I was embarrassed for us all. Then I spoke with someone from Vancouver who was full of hatred for Toronto and essentially rubbing my nose in it that the Leafs weren't even in the playoffs and the Canucks were on the verge of winning. Thought to myself, "why cheer for this team when I'm just going to hear about it for years from such jerks?" The final straw was seeing all the dirty play from Vancouver players. Regardless of what happened overall---the Canucks drew first blood with respect to injuring players and cheap shots. They shouldn't have started something that they couldn't finish. Raffi Torres has been a pathetic cheap shot artist all year (just ask Jordan Eberle) and didn't deserve to have his name on the Cup. Better that gentleman like Tim Thomas and Mark Recchi deservedly win a cup! GO BRUINS!

[cricket]

Hockey has become a violent and dangerous sport. The fans are merely mimicking what they see. The NHL is to blame for allowing this - it is no longer about a gentlemanly sport - it is about concussions, fights, slashes - all the things the fans emulated. The league cares only about the money.

[RJ]

Great article Damien. I was unaware of the hockey atmosphere in that city that you described. It's a very interesting perspective on the events of last night and probably an accurate one.

[J. W.]

Next comes the bleeding heart, leftist loonies response to the Vancouver riots. Some will say the police did too little and some will say the police over reacted. Indeed there are already some saying that the poor darlings were only venting their frustrations at losing to Boston and not causing any "real harm".....REAL HARM???? Physical violence, property damage, looting, etc. this is not real harm? It is criminal and these young punks should face some serious charges and incarceration......of course the lefty loonies will say we are too harsh on the young thugs...oops I mean young people.

[Nevyn]

Not really fair to compare Montreal and Vancouver riots. Montreal just has way more practice.

Get Vancouver rising up over every perceived injustice or minor victory, and they'll have neat, self contained riots in no time.

[ggmunsen]

Vancouver is a joke. Period.
Every game the Canucks won, the Bruins played it tight and kept it close. Every game the Bruins won they dominated, not only physically but on the scoreboard as well. The Canuck team cannot be blamed for this lack of respect for the city. The fans causing destruction are all captured in photos wearing Canuck gear, so for all of you saying people came to make a mess, you need to grow up. Absolute joke... Everyone knew this kind of garbage was coming, yet nobody informed the Vancouver Police... Awesome... I'm glad I have no association with the Canucks at all, because their fans are a bunch of immature clowns.

[Vanessa Targt]

FYI those of you from Vancouver who say Damien is from Toronto and was unfair in this piece....he's actually from Hamilton and generally very harsh towards the Leafs organization and critical of the GM, coach and players when he sees fit.

After reading many other accounts and seeing the video on the news how can you try and defend the riots and say it wasn't thousands who participated????

[Jill Shaw]

Much like in Toronto last summer, the police shoo,ld have been aloud to put an immediate stop to the nonsense as soon as it started. people today seem to feel they have the right to behave like terrorist animals I. Their own city. The lack od respect is frightening. over a hockey gem!? Really? last summer The Montreal Riot Squad was in Toronto and were held back. I they had been let do their job on the Friday night or on Saturday when the stupidity really stewards the huge mess and expense that was Toronto last summer would not have happeneD. in my opinion if you behave like a violent imbecile with out any respect for yourself, your city or any other person , you get what you Get. If that means you wake up beaten, and covered in your own blood and puke in a pissy jail cell - then that is probably what your behavior brought you

[Aaron]

What is this crap about Torontonians hating the Canucks? While I don't deny that some people might, that's hardly the majority. Everybody at the bar I was at was cheering Vancouver on.

[Emblem Dear]

The 3 misnomers:
1. "all this over a hockey game" (this would have happened if they had WON too...a bunch of aimless kids were just waiting for the final whistle with the result inconsequential....nothing to do with hockey
2. "Canada's team" (nuff said)
3. "the police should have done more" (check the photos and film again please)

[ariel]

Why is any one surprised that this happened -after all these rioters are sports fans.
Most have nothing going for them in their pathetic little lives and sports making
little or no demands on them is their only outlet -so they riot- it gives them a sense of
amounting to something -imagine how the brains of these rioters must work to
set them off over a hockey puck - as for Canadians when looking southward with
an air of civilized superiority they know that when the curtain is pulled aside ,they
are no better than their neighbors just more repressed . Boston was better prepared
for their contingent of sports thugs" celebrating " and is no different than Vancouver.
Imagine ! all this over a hockey puck . Still in the dark ages .