Aftermath

No sooner had I finished yesterday's post when I went back to the TV and watched, with great dismay, the riots in the streets of Vancouver. There was constant references to "Canuck fans" who were angry and frustrated. Excuse me, but as the night wore on, it was evident that it was not Canuck fans but the usual gang of thugs that are always looking for an excuse to pillage and destroy. It did not help matters that those who were not participating would not leave. They were interested onlookers with camera phones held high. 

These images are going world wide and the timing could not be worse. We are on the verge of tourist season and you can bet that there will be potential tourism dollars lost. 

I am perplexed why this kind of thing cannot be stopped. It was evident that game seven had the potential to create an atmosphere that would foster this kind of activity. Those who were in the public venues in the downtown core were witness to unprecidented drunkenness at 4 pm and the game did not even start until 5:20!

So here is the first hint to the police. Be proactive and arrest or haul away anyone who displays any signs of inebriation. No exceptions. And announce it ahead of time. Closing liquor stores in the early afternoon is not enough. These goons were priming themselves all day. 

Today there is talk of finding and identifying the culprits in the following days, mostly from video tape and photos. Here is hint two. As the police march down the street, they continually encounter confrontational individuals. We witnessed on the live TV shots that they would just continue to press them on down the street, hoping they would disperse. How about grabbing each hooligan as he confronts an officer and cuffing him, hand and foot, and leaving him or her lying on the street behind the police lines. Clean up the mess after. Each one you take out is one less to loot and burn public and private property, and it sends a message to others who have intentions to do so. 

Firefighters were not putting out the fires in a timely fashion and the chief said today that it was because the water supply was not secured by the police and he did not want to put his own men in harms way.  Do they not have tanker trucks and extinguishers? If the rioters even approach the fire once the firemen are there, they get hosed. Plain and simple. 

If and when these people are apprehended, the full force of the law should be applied and there should be judgements against any future earnings of these people so they pay back every cent it cost the city. There is enough anger in the city over this riot to avoid the usual political correctness that attends the aftermath of the riots. (These poor young people cannot help it because they had a rough upbringing.)  Today there were concerned citizens helping clean up in the downtown war zone. They were sending cards and flowers to the police, in support. They are outraged at what has happened. Again I say, it was a few that ruined for the many. These people should all be identified and not allowed downtown for any reason when there is large event happening. After all, do you think the city will ever let 100,000 citizens gather in one place in the future? I doubt it.