Stanley Cup final game goes crazy on the streets of Vancouver (Includes interview and first-hand account)
By
Joseph Boltrukiewicz
Published
In the very beginning there was a joyful atmosphere of “Go Canucks Go” and blue-and-green colours around. Nothing was going to get wrong on the streets in spite of Canucks’ loss 3-0.
People seemed to have a lot of fun on blocked from traffic West Georgia Street down to the Vancouver Public Library, Post Office Building and CBC Building at Hamilton Street.
Current colours of Canucks jerseys mingled well with logos of Orca Bay and old red yellow and black Canucks outfits from the times of the Final Game in 1994.
The names of Sedin brothers or Luongo were equally worn with the ones of Naslund and Bure.
A group photo before very important event, Stanley Cup Final, Vancouver.
Then after the Bruins scored their 4th goal something went really wrong. The fans started to burn something by the building of the Post Office and both fire and smoke were clearly visible from distance after a while. Several fans were jumping over the fire and many took the opportunity to take one and unforgettable picture with the fire in the background. Then some people turned over a parked car and set fire on it. People started to watch but many angry and drunk fans were leading their crazy game and others followed.
The unforgettable shot by the fire, Stanley Cup Final, Vancouver.
The riot police were called in and they tried to cut off the already burned car from the public and prevent people from jumping on its remains to take pictures and/or video. But the police lost that game and more and more angry fans were coming in to where even the car’s tires were burned to death. They instantly made the stage of their entertainment on the charred car – jumping on it, waving Canucks flags and drinking.
Rioters flipped cars, started fires and broke store windows in Vancouver after the city’s hockey team lost in the Stanley Cup final game in June of 2011
The firefighters couldn’t have do anything to prevent the car from the loss in fire. They came after a while due to thick crowd that probably gave the firefighters a bit of a hard time in navigating to the scene of a fire.
Second car set on fire, Stanley Cup Final, Vancouver.
Then another vehicle was suddenly overturned and set on fire and the area of West Georgia and Hamilton got sticky with dark smoke. The uncontrolled mob was adding to the fire whatever was available at hand, even plastic garbage containers . Explosions were heard from burning gas tanks and there was this specific stench hanging in the air. Whoever remembers the events of 9/11 it looked exactly like that.
Vancouver Canucks fans riot broke out following Stanley Cup Game, which led to cars being set ablaze, beer bottles being thrown out and riot police making arrests.
After a while the police blocked the influx of people from northern side of Georgia and started to push all those who were just watching the whole event. With all their armour and horses, instead of dealing with hooligans, they started to quickly drive all the bystanders away who were standing at a small wall of the Post Office.
A yellow jacket brutal from the police bike squad, having fun with beating up innocent bystanders, Vancouver final game of Stanley Cup.
Using rubber batons they were beating up innocent people on their backs and legs to quickly clear their area of the riot zone. They threatened that whoever stays there would be arrested. Surprisingly enough, not the uniform police were brutal but the one from the bike squad who seemed to have fun and without warning was beating people up while the drunk mob was still active on the scene.
Soon after the tear gas and dogs were used to bring order and clear those who remained on the riot scene. People were pushed towards Hamilton and farther to Cambie. Some of them were very affected by the tear gas.
“Go Canucks Go”, one more year to go, Vancouver final game of Stanley Cup.
