So today, 15 June 2012, is the one year anniversary of the Vancouver Stanley Cup riots. We all know the old saw - if it bleeds, it leads. This sentiment certainly played out in Vancouver. The riots where seen around the world, the story that most didn't get unless you are local here in Vancouver was what occurred the day after and the day after that.
Once the riot was over in the early hours, volunteers began to arrive in number to help with clean up, the volunteers independently arrived without anything planned. The mayor and his group came down early the next morning only to find some people were already leaving messages on the plywood covering the windows. The mayor encouraged this sending his assistant in to purchase more black markers and handed them out. Many came down, sweeping the streets, cleaning off graffiti on buildings, throwing out garbage.
During the day, people approached the police to say thank you for their contribution, latter in the day, cops at a restaurant after eating discovered some one had paid their bill and left with a word given to the manager to thank the police for their efforts in the riot. Latter in the day a cop car was sent on a call, when the officers came back, the car had a few stickies on the car thanking them and the Vancouver police for their efforts. Over the course of the day, more and more stickies were added. Latter in the day, the car was put under a shelter right on Granville street where more and more stickies were added; this car became famous. [All photos taken by me]
Police joined volunteers to help out. More and more shocked Vancouverites came downtown to see the after math, when they saw the plywood up, they added their thanks. It may not appear like many in this picture but there were hundreds all around these folks.
There were a variety of messages, many addressed to the police thanking them, many just saying, "We're sorry."
And finally some made up their own posters, well you'll be able to read what they said.
What didn't get told was the love out pouring to the police, the volunteers who helped out, the good citizens who contributed to the clean up.
And those the most surprised - the police - they weren't used to the caring.
MP's I know your job isn't always fun, but I believe if you are ever in a jam, even though in a military closed society MP's aren't exactly loved, that when the chips are down, I'm willing to bet you will have more support than you know just as it happened in Vancouver.
Once the riot was over in the early hours, volunteers began to arrive in number to help with clean up, the volunteers independently arrived without anything planned. The mayor and his group came down early the next morning only to find some people were already leaving messages on the plywood covering the windows. The mayor encouraged this sending his assistant in to purchase more black markers and handed them out. Many came down, sweeping the streets, cleaning off graffiti on buildings, throwing out garbage.
During the day, people approached the police to say thank you for their contribution, latter in the day, cops at a restaurant after eating discovered some one had paid their bill and left with a word given to the manager to thank the police for their efforts in the riot. Latter in the day a cop car was sent on a call, when the officers came back, the car had a few stickies on the car thanking them and the Vancouver police for their efforts. Over the course of the day, more and more stickies were added. Latter in the day, the car was put under a shelter right on Granville street where more and more stickies were added; this car became famous. [All photos taken by me]
Police joined volunteers to help out. More and more shocked Vancouverites came downtown to see the after math, when they saw the plywood up, they added their thanks. It may not appear like many in this picture but there were hundreds all around these folks.
There were a variety of messages, many addressed to the police thanking them, many just saying, "We're sorry."
And finally some made up their own posters, well you'll be able to read what they said.
What didn't get told was the love out pouring to the police, the volunteers who helped out, the good citizens who contributed to the clean up.
And those the most surprised - the police - they weren't used to the caring.
MP's I know your job isn't always fun, but I believe if you are ever in a jam, even though in a military closed society MP's aren't exactly loved, that when the chips are down, I'm willing to bet you will have more support than you know just as it happened in Vancouver.
