On June 15, 2011, as one of the seven paramedics of the Public Safety Department of the Vancouver Police Department, Tvetz was originally posted on the corner of Hamilton and West Georgia Street, where the championship game at the nearby Rogers Arena was broadcast on a big screen. .

Twaites said that with every goal scored, the pressure will continue to increase. An estimated 155,000 people watched the Vancouver Canucks struggle to contain the opposing Boston Bruins and eventually lost the game-and their shots in the Stanley Cup-and the final score was Four nothings.

The frustrating defeat evokes memories of the 1994 Canucks playoffs, when the team was defeated by the New York Rangers. It is similar not only in terms of proximity to glory, but also in terms of violent consequences.

However, according to a report by the British Columbia Attorney’s Office, the 1994 riots paled in comparison with the events that occurred in 2011, when approximately 1,000 rioters caused US$3.78 million in damages in approximately five hours.

However, paramedics and others interviewed by CBC, including police, historians, and sports commentators, said that the destruction of the city center in 2011 was not a foregone conclusion—at least not early.

“In the previous games, things went very smoothly,” Tvetz said. “I really didn’t expect what would happen.”

Lessons and suggestions after the 1994 riots

People interviewed by CBC said that entering the 2011 finals, people have renewed confidence in the city’s ability to host public events, especially considering the success of the 2010 Winter Olympics. After the Canadian team, downtown Vancouver sees enthusiasm The overflowing, often drunk fans celebrated winning the men’s hockey gold medal.

“There was no loss of property and no riots,” Vancouver Police Chief Jim Zhu said in 2011. “You know, you think Vancouver has matured after the Olympics.”

Watch | Former police chief Jim Chu recalled the role of smartphones in the 2011 riots:

Ten years after the Canadians lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final and the streets of Vancouver were flooded with mobs, Ian Harnomansing talked with the former police chief about the night and the role of mobile phones . He also caught up with a couple who became popular after being photographed kissing on the ground. 5:49

In a report submitted to the current Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner after the 1994 riots, investigator Bob Whitelaw made 32 recommendations, hoping to prevent similar destructive hooliganism from moving forward.

They include guidance on operational planning, police deployment and training, equipment and alcohol presence.

Fifteen years later, John Furlong and Douglas Keef, they wrote Official report on the riots in 2011, Will say that most of these suggestions have been resolved, or partially resolved, and “the planning is thorough and suitable for threat assessment.”

However, their report also pointed out that the combination of “crowded and free-flowing alcohol” creates conditions that allow “troublemakers” to act.

“This is obviously very worrying,” Chu said. “However, at a certain point in time, as a police officer, you can’t do anything because we don’t have numbers…the crowd is about 150,000. We may have 800 or 900 police officers.”

Play and play

In the 2011 finals, public support for the Canucks snowballed, because it became increasingly clear that the team was within easy reach of the first Stanley Cup.

“We have [Sedin] The twins are at their height and we have Kessler. It seems that this is a team that aims to go all the way,” said Karin Larson, a CBC reporter who reported on the Canucks in 2011.

However, although the team successfully killed the dragon in Chicago and defeated Nashville and San Jose, the situation reversed halfway through the Stanley Cup final. Boston fought back from the disadvantages of the two games and finally forced the seventh game.

“Vancouver met ice [and] You just think they don’t have it anymore,” Larson said. “No matter what kind of magic fairy dust they bring in this series, it doesn’t seem to be suitable for them. “

Five minutes into the first quarter, Boston’s Patrice Bergeron surpassed Vancouver goalkeeper Robert Lugo with a goal. Outside, the police were called to evacuate the crowd gathered at the top of the cheap car rental building near the corner of West Georgia Street and Homer Street. Nearby, food trucks are one of the primary targets of vandalism.

Then, in the second quarter, Boston scored again. The crowd on the roof of the budget building started throwing bottles at the police.

The Boston team scored for the third time and then for the fourth time. At the corner of Homer and Dunsmuir, a battle involving 30 to 40 people broke out. Nearby, windows are being broken. Then the Gucci store was looted. A few minutes later, a car was turned over. The trash can was lit.

Vancouver lost the Stanley Cup final. The riots are ongoing.

This is the first of two articles covering the 2011 Stanley Cup riots. You can read the second chapter-the oral history of the riot and its legacy in Vancouver- Tomorrow, June 15, 2021.