2011 Vancover Riot after the Stanley Cup Hockey Game

My daughter, JLHanna, a college graduate and I had a discussion about the 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot.

On June 15, 2011 the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup in Vancouver, BC against the Vancouver Canucks. After the hockey game, a riot broke out in the city of Vancouver.

1. Do you think a riot would have broken out if the Vancouver Canucks had won the series?

Me - Yes, I think the riot would have broken out even if Vancouver did win. I think the rioters were out to cause damage that night, no matter what.

JLHanna - I am not sure if the riot would have broken out if they won. I've heard/read in news reports that some of the individuals involved were the same as those who were involved in the Olympics riot. If this information is correct/reliable then yes the riot would have happened anyway. I hope that is the case because looking at it from the other aide of things makes you rioters look like fools. The other side of things being you guys are real poor losers and have no self-control! To allow yourselves to get so out of hand over a hockey game is just ridiculous! If everyone involved just wanted an excuse to riot then the police are going to have their hands full whenever something small and insignificant happens to upset the childlike people.

2. How did you feel after hearing about the riots?

Me - I felt sick to my stomach and I was ashamed of the country I live in.

JLHanna - I too felt sick to my stomach! How could you people get sooo upset over a stinking hockey game? Did your mother not teach you guys not to be sore losers?

3. Do you think there was any reason for the riot at all?

Me - No, not at all. I think this riot was the most senseless act of violence that I have ever heard of.

JLHanna - I am very uncertain if there really was any real reason for the riots. You all looked much, much too happy in those incriminating photos to be upset about anything.

4. Do you think the media is playing a role in helping the police catch the rioters?

Me - Yes, I do think the media is playing a role in helping the police catch the rioters. I also think that social media is helping even more. Some rioters posted their own pictures and videos of their senseless acts on websites such as Facebook. There were a lot of innocent bystanders as well,
that took photographs and videos with their cell phones and posted these as well. In today's world of technology, the rioters will be caught. They may not have been caught the night of the riot, or the couple of weeks that have
since passed but they will be caught over time. I think about the number of man hours that the Vancouver Police Department are going to have to put in just to catch and look at all of the videos and photographs that they have
received. It is absolutely senseless.

JLHanna - I completely agree with you on this one.

5. What do you feel would be fair punishment for the rioters?

Me - I think the rioters should be made to pay back whatever damages they caused. I think the rioters should be held accountable because if not, this kind of situation will only happen again.

JLHanna - I think they should have to pay businesses back for the damage they were accountable for, they should have to take anger management courses for several years and have several years worth of community service. That will teach them to just allow their anger to get out of hand and there is massive punishment for those who want to riot for no reason at all.

6. Do you feel that parents should be held liable to pay for the damages their children caused during the riot?

Me - Absolutely. I feel that parents have lost control over the actions of the their children these days and these kind of situations are only going to get worse if something isn't done to stop them now. I understand it is not always the parents fault that children turn out the way they do.

JLHanna - I think the children should have to do time (a couple years at least) in a juvenile delinquents hall in order to teach those children that damaging property and acting like fools, over nothing of significance, is not tolerated even when done in large gangs of people.

7. Do you feel Vancouver and Canada has suffered over the riot?

Me - I don't think Vancouver or Canada has suffered over the riot. You can't blame the the city of Vancouver as a whole or the country of Canada either. We can't let the actions of a few ruin the beautiful country we have.

JLHanna - The only way this situation can make Vancouver look bad is if the people themselves can't get themselves under control and not let this happen again. People will start to look down on Vancouver's general population if riots like this one continue to happen.

8. What are your final thoughts about the riot in Vancouver?

Me - I think the riot in Vancouver was the most senseless act ever. I am appalled that anyone would do such a thing. I can't believe the damage to personal property that took place. I think it is disgusting and demoralizing and I hope I never see anything like that ever again. I could possibly begin to understand if we were in a country that was war-torn but this riot was all because our team lost the Stanley Cup, the absolute worst excuse for a riot ever.

JLHanna - My thoughts exactly!