Shortly after the Stanley Cup riot on June 15, a number of Vancouver-based commentators were blaming much of the damage on residents of suburban cities like Surrey and Langley. They were suggesting that, had these people stayed home in their own communities, the riot and associated damage wouldn’t have happened.
While such commentary is xenophobic, and the specific residence of each rioter is virtually impossible to verify, their comments have at least the ring of truth. There is no question that many young people from outside Vancouver flocked to the city centre on the night of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals, to take part in a unique group event.
In fact, they were encouraged to do so by Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and others. Similar large crowds had come to downtown Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympics, and there were virtually no problems.
However, as a report into the riot released on Thursday points out, there were many more safeguards at the Olympics. There were far more police and security personnel. When crowds gathered to watch a hockey game, they did so inside a securely-fenced area.
As Olympics CEO John Furlong suggested in the report, it appears that Vancouver officials forgot just how important crowd control is when staging large events. There needs to be visible, adequate and ongoing security. There needs to be perimeter fencing or some other way to contain people and keep attendees separated from the hangers-on.
People who come to watch a specific event need to be looked over carefully, and their bags searched — as happens at any Canucks, Lions or Whitecaps game.
The report does not try to blame suburban municipalities or their inhabitants for the riots. In fact. Langley Township and Surrey, to cite two examples, set up locations where people could come and watch the games. The Township’s site, at the Events Centre, did use some of the safeguards mentioned in the report.
Interestingly enough, there were no problems at either the Langley or Surrey locations. Nor were there problems at Scott Road and 72 Avenue in Surrey, where impromptu gatherings of fans took place after each game. Perhaps Vancouver commentators need to look more within their own borders.