after the riots

Back in June, our beautiful city was catapulted into spotlight for all the wrong reasons thanks to a group of drunken hooligans who used our amazing Vancouver Canucks run for the Stanley cup as an excuse to destroy everything in their paths. We were in Hawaii the next morning and were in a state of shock and sadness seeing the bombardment of articles from Vancouver with endless photos of vandalism, looting, cars lit on fire - it didn't look like home at all. It looked like a war torn nation. I couldn't believe that something that had been so positive for the city - the Canucks pulling through round after exciting round to make it all the way to the final match up, cars decorated proudly with Canucks flags, friends planning events together to celebrate the journey - all to be destroyed on the final night by those who used the "mob mentality" as an excuse to just vandalize the city. Store owners terrified and passionately trying to defend their merchandise as hoards of people smashed their way in, ransacking their establishments and running proudly back into the streets to show off their stolen merchandise. The images were endless and completely disgusting. I also whole heartedly believe that the police should have been better prepared seeing as though we had been through this the last time the Canucks made it to the finals. We know history repeats itself and should have learned from last time. During that night, the whole city seemed wildly out of control. But today, seven weeks after the riot,  when I was walking around the sunny streets and saw this boarded up window at Chapters, filled with positive messages about our beautiful city - I was so moved. These are the real Vancouverites. This is what this city is all about.