On September 22, 2011, the Vancouver Police Department issued a media release with the ominous headline of "Get the Facts Straight." The police were responding to an article published the day before in The Tyee.
The release dealt with the riots that took place on June 15, 2011, after the Boston Bruins defeated the Canucks in Game 7 to win the Stanley Cup.
In addition to countering what was published in The Tyee, the police commented on the media in general. While saying that much of the media coverage of the 2011 Stanley Cup final was "accurate and insightful", the media release describes some of it as "misleading and inflammatory." In expressing concerns over the media coverage, the release states, "...we were originally concerned by stories and reporters who beat the drum most loudly inciting crowds to gather in the first place." In other words the streets would have been deserted had the media been more responsible.
Did the Liquor Control and Licensing Board Predict the Riot?
According to The Tyee, the publication received a copy of an email after an application under BC's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The email was written by Karen Ayers, the general manager of the Liquor Control and Licensing Board (LCLB). The letter was sent to Lori Wanamaker, the deputy solicitor general of British Columbia and was sent after Ayers took part in a conference call with others from the LCLB.
Ayers wrote the email on the day Game 5 was played. She told the deputy solicitor general that there were not only increased sales of liquor but resales as well - often to minors. The general manager indicated that large crowds, comparable to those seen during the Olympics, were present on the streets. There was a lot of drinking in public places, fights and other violence. Ayers described what was going on as "pre-riotous behaviour."
What the Vancouver Police Say
In responding to the article, the police deny they knew a riot was going to occur on June 15 when the last game of the hockey playoffs would take place. At the same time, the release says Vancouver Police Department says all the information that the LCLB came from either the VPD or other first responders. That, of course, leaves out the possibility that LCLB officials could not have determined what was happening by observing what took place that day on the streets of Vancouver.
The police are also insisting that they had no idea that a riot could have taken place. This is consistent with what an internal review of the riots, published on September 6, found.
By using the word, "incitement", the press release uses strong language. The word "incitement" means to stir up, to urge on or to move to action. While inciting an riot is not a criminal offence in Canada, participating in a riot, is. Those in the media who "incited" the riot should perhaps be charged with aiding and abetting an unlawful act which is an offense under the Criminal Code. Those are strong allegations and the police are not saying whom in the media incited the riot.
So those in the media that did aid and abet the Stanley Cup riots should turn themselves in. Not to worry - more than three months later, no charges have yet been laid.
Arthur Weinreb - Weinreb is an author, associate editor and columnist with Canada Free Press and the Canadian Affairs Feature Writer for Suite 101.
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