One day after Vancouver hockey fans rioted in protest to the Vancouver Canucks loss in the Stanley Cup final, over 10,000 people gathered downtown to help clean up the damage.
According to city officials, 29 businesses suffered damage, 15 vehicles, including several police cruisers, were set aflame, and multiple portable toilets and trash cans were burned.
Looters took advantage of shattered store windows, prompting police to use tear gas to contain the masses. In total, over 100 people were arrested according to the CBC.
It isn’t what happened the night of the riots, however, that was most surprising.
Rather, it was the city’s reaction to it. Mass outrage and shame propelled the public into action. Barely an hour after the riot had been subdued, embarrassed citizens began to rally.
News of a mass clean-up quickly spread with the help of social media outlets, as well as by old-fashioned word of mouth.
By morning, thousands of people were on the streets, armed with garbage bags and city pride.
Riots are not a new concept to the world of organized sport. They’re the result of a mob mentality — the actions of a few within a crowd ignite the rest, and it’s this chain reaction that leads to violence. The aftermath is almost always devastating.
What makes Vancouver different is the way it has risen out of the devastation.
The collective anger and shame, as well as the citizenry and groundswell of support for police efforts, will ensure that those who are responsible will be tracked down and prosecuted.
There is currently a city-wide attempt to identify and prosecute those responsible through not only police investigation, but also social media.
People are being encouraged to submit personal videos and photos as evidence to help round up the rioters.
Some who participated have begun to turn themselves in. Parents are seeing photos incriminating their children, forcing them into accountability.
The efforts by the public to clean up the city are not simply to repair structural damage. They can also begin to heal a wound that runs much deeper.
It may take more than a day to clean up Vancouver’s damaged reputation, but with the dedication of its people, redemption may come sooner than expected.
Alexandra Yallouz is a second-year member of the Carleton Ravens women’s hockey team. She was also present during the Vancouver riots on June 15 and the clean-up effort the next day.
