VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The debate of violence in hockey took new meaning in Vancouver, B.C., as fans turned their frustration over losing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals into a riot-filled evening on the city's streets, complete with overturning and burning police vehicles and engaging in widespread looting.
As over 100,000 fans packed downtown Vancouver on Wednesday afternoon for the Canucks' game, a fan-viewing area on Georgia Street turned violent. The area housed thousands who had camped out much of the day to watch the game on a giant screen outside Canadian Broadcasting Corp. headquarters.
In that fenced off area and directly outside of the city's large Canada Post building, a group of fans overturned a car and then hopped onto it, jumping up and down while hundreds more egged on the behavior. Once the crowd started chanting "Burn It," the level of violence ratcheted up.
Soon, small trash fires peppered the area and fights became common. The blue fences originally used to keep alcohol out of the fan zones -- four outside screens had been set up in the downtown core -- were torn down and fashioned into weapons by some in the crowd. They were also used to fend off the riot police.
The riot police -- bolstered eventually as officers from throughout the region started arriving on scene -- used tear gas and smoke bombs to disperse the crowds. The rioters responded with their own explosions of some sort, which early on drew cheers from spectators that had climbed onto roof overhangs and transit stops to get a better view of the destruction. Other spectators created a ring around the violence, with cameras clicking and videos rolling. Originally, as rioters threw debris at the police and taunted the uniformed personnel, the police remained calm and even videotaped those causing problems.
One car fire led to others, including two police cars that were overturned and then lit on fire. Fires and looting then spread into other areas of downtown.
Crowds overtook The Bay department store and a nearby drugstore -- among countless other businesses -- by smashing out windows and climbing through the open fronts to loot the stores.
With about 20 blocks downtown closed off to make way for pedestrian traffic at noon local time -- Game 7 began shortly after 5 p.m. -- the drinking started early, with lines at the bars wrapping around buildings by midafternoon. The city shut down alcohol sales at liquor stores at 4 p.m. in attempt to curb "alcohol-related violence."
Fire units weren't allowed to put out the variety of flames until over an hour after the first were started because the area was deemed too dangerous. That danger also kept families inside the nearby Queen Elizabeth Theatre after a showing of Wicked.
Even those not participating in the violence took part in it as a spectator sport, seemingly getting more enjoyment from taking pictures and video of the event than watching the Canucks lose to the Bruins on home ice 4-0.
To help curb the influx of mobs popping up in various areas, the city shut down the major routes into town and warned people they could be arrested if they stayed. BC Transit cut all bus service in the downtown area because of the riots and the agency's SkyTrain service was running at capacity for hours, starting during the third period of the hockey game.
As the evening turned dark, the fires continued and the riot police marched up and down differing downtown streets hoping to funnel people away from the downtown area.
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