Comments on: 16 Photos of the Vancouver Canucks Riots

By: Matt Gibson

Matt Gibson — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 05:17:45 +0000

In reply to Girl from PoCo. Yeah, that was pretty ridiculous! Too bad you weren't there! I'd have love to seen that :D

By: Girl from PoCo

Girl from PoCo — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 21:15:23 +0000

Its ridicoulous how bad they rioted our beautiful city and thinking that how long it took them to replace everything that was ruined by these people who cared so much about the canucks loosing. Like big woop we lost ya it was sad and a very good game but honestly u dont need to riot over it .
And just for all those people who joined in to the rioting ur stupid for that its totally idiotic of u to start that, think of all the children who were there its just not cool. How about all the people who got hurt its ridicoulous …. honestly if i was there half of the rioters would have been slapped across the face.
Good pictures though Matt!!

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 23:07:24 +0000

In reply to crazy sexy fun traveler. Yup, totally stupid! Glad you liked them. Thanks!

By: crazy sexy fun traveler

crazy sexy fun traveler — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 23:04:02 +0000

Stupid riot, but good pics!

By: Matt Gibson

Matt Gibson — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:22:50 +0000

In reply to Nomadic Chick.

Dilemmas indeed. Like Lorna and I mentioned when you arrived at lunch, the debate about the effect that an observer has on their surroundings, and the balance against the importance of the work, has been going on for centuries and will continue forever. There is no clear answer.

But at least we can all agree, it was the stupidest riot in human history. The original title for the article, changed by the HuffPo editors was “The Most Pathetic Riot” 🙂

By: Nomadic Chick

Nomadic Chick — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 06:09:08 +0000

Matt, it’s interesting to comment on this after having spent some time hanging out with you. On a journalistic level, you were doing your job. Again, I think of the countless ways photojournalists capture their subjects in war zones, it’s not always pretty. On the other hand, jumping on the car and the crowd not knowing that you are a journalist could be an implicit act of “supporting” their behaviour. Ugh. The dilemma. I think you captured some tense, on the ground moments and in my view, they needed to be captured. People need to be shocked by them. Why? In hopes that we stop doing this kind of thing in the future. I am also a local and am ashamed at the “reasons” for this event. They struck me as small clusters of bored suburbia boys (and girls) who have become desensitized to authority and consequences. Yet, the fact that residents rioted in past years renders my theory flimsy. Overall, it has to be the stupidest riot in human history. Cheers for a good Huffington article.

By: robin

robin — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:31:38 +0000

Great pictures.

Hockey – that´s the ice-skating game with sticks isn´t it….

By: Matt Gibson

Matt Gibson — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 06:31:43 +0000

In reply to Lorna – the roamantics.

Hey Lorna. It was great getting to hang out!

You are right, it is a generalization that was made for reasons of economy. I’d like to clarify what I meant.

I don’t mean Canucks fans. I mean that Vancouver has a reputation as having audiences with bad attitudes in general–mostly when it comes to music–but also (after two riots) when it comes to sports. Many bands dislike playing–and outright refuse to play–in Vancouver. During the playoffs I also recall announcers commenting on the way the Canucks fans reacted to certain situations in games as being different (and less supportive) than those in other cities. I believe that it is this general bad attitude that leads Vancouver ‘fans’ to riot over silly reasons.

Two Stanley Cup riots and one cancelled concert riot, plus a bad reputation among performers, indicates to me a trend.

I do not mean to say that every single Canucks fan is bad. That would be ridiculous. But in identifying the group that rioted, I had no better term to use than Vancouver fans (I think that it’s safe to say that the vast majority of rioters were Vancouver fans). I could see no other way that I could economically make my point in the lead without using the generalization “Vancouver fans”.

I certainly hope I didn’t offend any of your friends. That was not my intention. But it is true, Vancouver ‘fans’ are in certain circles considered less supportive and more rude than those in other cities.

I don’t know why this is, because Vancouverites are some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met. Nevertheless, this seems to be the case.

By: Lorna - the roamantics

Lorna - the roamantics — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 06:13:32 +0000

hey matt, glad to meet you at tbex & spend a little time w/you during a friendlier stanley cup game! 🙂 these photos are absolutely stunning! truly the best i’ve seen. read your huffington post story too and really enjoyed it, although i have to confess my anthropologist’s bell sounded at the first line- “Vancouver fans riot for the most pathetic reasons.” kind of a generalization, no? surely the rioters don’t reflect traits of all canucks fans…you’re one, right? also, are we sure this was really even about the game? i dunno, it was definitely a provocative opening line, and you are the native, but i winced a little reading it! it seems in the last couple of days, vancouverites, upon learning i’m here visiting and was during the mayhem, have struggled to separate themselves from the acts of these fools. i wrote a post about my thoughts on the riot & the importance of not judging a city by one (or a few) issues (caused by a handful of residents). would love to hear what you think 🙂

By: jenny

jenny — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 03:15:15 +0000

While this riot was clearly different from the Toronto G-8 Summit riots in 09(?), I’ve noticed some alarming similarities within your narrative…and so, I’d like to ask if, at some point, you didn’t wonder if these riots were “staged” by the riot-police…as they did at the G-8 that year. Do you think undercover cops could have pulled off such a ruse? You said you didn’t observe the initial “spark” that triggered the riots. Also, you mentioned it being “unlike” the youth of Vancouver to act in such an unbecoming manner…which also precipitates my speculation. There is a GREAT documentary called, Into The Fire, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zejD0UkMGGY , documenting the entire Toronto G-8 Summit Riots, going over everything leading up to the riots…right down to new legislation implemented as a result of the riots. It’s a very well done documentary…just to recommend it for comparison to what you witnessed!