There's much that I have to say on this topic, but I'd rather let you guys have your say first before I make a full commentary.

For those of you that don't watch Hockey, or pay much attention to the news (depending where you're from it may not have been shown on your local news provider, but I do know that the BBC picked up the story), following the Vancouver Canucks losing the Stanley Cup a group of people took to the streets and started a full scale riot in downtown Vancouver.

Video of riot in progress:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VzOUKODdZ4

However, a group got together using Facebook to help identify as many as the looters as possible not just from the videos taken by people on the scene, but using the images taken from security cameras running in the area.
http://www.globaltvbc.com/Identify+Vancouv...4697/story.html

Already, several rioters have been identified and more are likely to be found.


This is just the latest case of rioting following a sports game. Soccer (football) riots are also something that is seen regularly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XwjcllW1sM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2fW-VUnFWE&feature=fvst

Thousands (or more) people have been injured and killed worldwide from rioting at sporting events. This isn't a "how disgraceful" topic, I'd like to hear what people have to say about the riots, the people, the emotional drive, and the events themselves.
Discuss.

This has been going on for days on CBC, so there is all this discussion of using video media to identify the people in the riot.
To me, this was a stupid act that these people did.
Since all I saw of the riot was the burning car, I thought it wasn't to sever. But when I saw all the shops and streets the day after, it was horrible.
Not only will this ruin the reputation that Vancouver gained hosting the 2011 Winter Olympics, but now Canada is at fault for it as well.

But you are right, this isn't the only sport. I've heard soccer fans are much worse? True?

I agree that it was pretty stupid; mod mentality I suppose. Emotions run high at sporting events especially when your team is so close to victory; but destroying a portion of downtown? That's carrying things a bit too far imo. Alcohol + sports fans + high emotions + big loss = bad combination.

I was googling some videos for sports riots, and Soccer (Football) was definitely a common denominator. I remember watching a show a while back, don't remember what it was called, but it showed a video of a massive riot at a soccer game. Hundreds of people were crushed, the stadium was partially destroyed, people ripped up chairs, the fence, threw drinks/food. It was nuts.

I don't know if you can really call soccer riots worse than hockey riots - or any other for that matter. Reality of the matter is, you get that many people together in one place, most of them drinking, they want desperately to see their team win but they don't - things can get ugly real fast.

They are clearly as crap at rioting as they are at hocky.

Pathetic.

It's not a riot at all - just people letting off steam - for a riot you need to complete the following checklist.

1. policeman on fire.



2. police getting seriously injured



3. police getting blinded by lasers



4. violent and fully prepared anarchists



5. a good selection of baton charges



6. lone civilians getting kicked in by multiple police



7.gas gas gas



and for extra credit:

8. cavalry charge



9. teh water cannon

You know better than this.
First and only verbal warn I'm going to give you. If you're going to post pictures in serious discussion: Justify them. Or at the very least talk about the VANCOUVER RIOTS and not just riots in general and how it fails in comparison. This is like bringing up the pain of childbirth in a discussion on abortion, it's similar but still off topic. Don't do it again. ~ Sparrowsmith.

Oh, and pay attention kids, the above is how not to make a serious post.

hmmm ok I see the subtlety of my post was lost on some then.....

A Riot is technically 3 or more people going mental - but you wouldn't really call that a riot.

A - and I quote - "FULL SCALE RIOT" - is not what took place in Vancouver.

and perhaps the media agenda decided to pick up the story and run with it - fill your airwaves and mind with more pointless distraction.

Real riots have been taking place for the last 80 days in Greece - Riots and protests that are actually worth talking about -

And yet - can anyone even tell me WHY they are up in arms?

And why this is important for the world - and why the central banks are worried and thus encouraging your media not report it.

what does this have to do with riots in Vancouver - just that - there was no real riot.

just people blowing of steam -

there is a REAL riot going on - but don't worry about it....it's in a far away place...and now....a word from our sponsors

The subtlety was not lost, but this is a discussion on Sports Riots.

Condescending much? of course we know about the riots in Greece and the knock on effect that can once again bring the UK banking system to it's knees- but that is ideal for another topic on the impact of austerity measures,

Think bigger - waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay bigger.

but that is probably a separate discussion, I did not realise this thread was limited to sports riots only, my bad.
My point came from the comment made earlier

I think many of us who where following the game knew from the beggining, there would be a riot, win or lose. There is a strong belief that there was a handful of people in the crowd who wanted to start it up either way, and then the mob would just take it from there.

And from what I have heard, on quite a few occasions this is how it actually works, a handful of people want to riot, they are not even from the town or area, they see a place that "could" riot, they travel alll the way over, start the mess, get a chuckle and watch.



If burning vehicles, trashing stores, and attacking people is not a riot, and just your idea of "burning off steam" Then you seriously have problems and need to seek mental help.

Wow, absent for a few days and the resident troll completely reads the thread wrong - considering I put Sports Riots in the bloody title.

Good point Omnial, and you're absolutely right. There is a group of people, I believe their organization has a name of some sort but I don't recall off the top of my head, but they do exactly what you said. They look for places that are ripe for inciting a riot and then travel to the place in question and light the fuse and watch as all hell breaks loose.
Some people just want to watch the world burn.

As for the riots in Greece, that's of a completely different matter - I could very well start a topic as those riots don't fall into the category of sports riots (they're political).