Vancouver riot Stanley Cup 1994 Canucks

[Elmware]

"VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - Between smart phones, cameras, and news crews, there's no shortage of crystal clear images and video from the riot.

Vancouver Police are hoping they will lead to convictions for those who took part in the destruction, and one lawyer says that evidence will stand.

News1130 legal analyst Michael Shapray says once police know who submitted the photos, and are certain about the identity of the people in them, prosecution is straight forward. "A still picture is obviously much more difficult than a video, because still pictures can be taken out of context. Video evidence can be very strong. I think it will make prosecution of people doing things captured on video very easy."

He says the hooligans could be nailed with a variety of offences: from mischief, theft, robbery, and break and enter, to assault and obstruction of justice.

He warns those who spurred the thugs on are also subject to charges. "People there cheering vandals on and promoting their activities could theoretically be charged as a party of the offence through the 'aiding and abetting' provisions of the criminal code."

He notes even someone who might have taken a single kick at an overturned car can be charged."

And those cheering the vandals on deserve to go to jail too.

Taking pictures is helping to catch these bastards, but unfortunately, digital pictures alone may not convict them.  I agree that the motion pictures are stronger evidence, and pictures taken with real cameras with real film instead of digital cameras will hold more solid evidence as digital photos are too easy to alter with programs like The Gimp or Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, etc...

Here's one example of a photo modified using The Gimp which came bundled with Slackware.


The best thing to do with a camera is to hold a current newspaper in the picture.  This will prove that the photo was taken no earlier than that date.

[charlieliberal]

I think if the original photos from the digital cameras are turned over to police before compressing them further they can tell if they are altered or not, as zooming in can reveal the changes from photoshop

[charlieliberal]

look at this disgusting display, the firefighter showed a lot of discipline to not drop the punk

[charlieliberal]

Same here, because it would suck to be an innocent guy getting all this ridicule for something he didn't even do if it wasn't him.

"The teen's father, a surgeon in B.C., told CBC News on Friday that the Grade 12 student will be "doing the right thing" by turning himself in."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/06/17/calgary-vancouver-riot-athlete.html

[Elmware]

It appears that the photo of Nathan is in fact him, and he is planning on turning himself in.  So much for his career in the Olympics.  He probably won't even be able to travel to other countries to compete if he gets a criminal record from this.  If he's lucky, they might divert the charges, but I don't really think they do that for a more serious offense, like arson, if they charge him with it.  They might for mischief if he pays for the damages.  Otherwise his life is screwed.

Lots of people are posting his home address, phone number and even his father's work information.  This is plain wrong and these people are stooping to the same level as these hoodlums who rioted, making themselves no better than him IMO.  I'm not sure if there are also laws about posting other people's information on the internet.

I can understand the frustration going on right now, but people need to really cool off before they do anything harsh that they might regret later on.  This kid and the rest of these punks are not worth going to jail over just for your vendetta.

I'm not condoning their actions.  Yes they need to pay, but it's not up to us to enforce our own brand of justice.  Especially if we end up doing it to someone who turns out to be innocent in the end.  Please let the law handle it, and keep posting those pictures.  Even if digital pictures aren't enough to convict them, it will at least help identify them.  If you were there to whiteness any of it, be sure to testify because your words is what will convict them.  Contact the police and let them know what you saw.

And don't buy into that anti-snitch bullsh- either!!!  They ruined YOUR city and YOUR businesses and they shall pay.  Not you and your tax dollars!

And yeah, I know a few of you who were involved will probably reply to this telling me to STFU and resort to the name calling as usual, so to those people I am saying an advanced FU!

[charlieliberal]

I was just thinking about some of these people's actions, they expect lenience because it was during a riot? Imagine if somewhere like in Calgary or Toronto right now if some guy went up and lit a police car on fire, there would be an apb out to find him, he would be in jail immediately, and probably facing many years behind bars

or if some guy in Regina or Winnipeg went out and walked up to a fireman and punched him in the head, the guy would be down, roughed up, and behind bars for a good long time as well

these actions by these punks are criminal and serious, and should not be minimized at all just because a whole bunch of people were committing crimes at the same time

one of the big things that bothers me while watching all these videos is the smiling happy faces when something got destroyed, it seems like there is no care about right and wrong with these people, wrong to them is only if you get caught and have to face a legal hassle, the actual destruction and violence to them was just a change from boredom and they liked it

[Elmware]

I agree.  They will be all like it's someone else's fault that they are in jail or something.  That's just how the typical criminals think because they can't accept responsibility for their own actions.

Also, let's see these idiots try acting like this in Singapore.  What do you think would happen to them then there?

[charlieliberal]

http://i.imgur.com/oK1iv.jpg

[charlieliberal]

fed up with the "sorry" after the fact

http://riot2011frontlines.tumblr.com/post/6860088383/please-stop-apologizing-a-police-officers-letter-to

Dear 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup Rioters,
Please stop saying you’re sorry. Stop posting YouTube videos begging for forgiveness. Stop writing letters asking that society cut you some slack and leave you alone.
While you were drunk and flipping cars, I was driving with all of my emergency equipment on to get into Vancouver. While you were throwing anything you could get your hands on at the police, I was pressure testing my APR and standing in the middle of the tear gas. While you and thousands of others disgraced Vancouver and its surrounding population, I stood shoulder to shoulder with a couple hundred men and women, whom I trust my life with, ready to address your indiscretions.
You came up to me like you owned the streets in your drunken stupor, thrust your middle fingers in my face and shouted obscenities; I didn’t snap you in half.
Actions speak louder than words.
You started “harmless” fires. You torched other men and women’s cars whom you’d never met and never did you wrong. You assaulted firemen as they arrived to try and deal with your “mistakes”. You took limited, valuable emergency resources away from good people who needed them. You endangered more lives by tying up emergency services than you ever considered.
You started fights. You stabbed people you’d never met because they somehow made you angry. You gave men and women trying to protect property life altering concussions. You brought paramedics into the tear gas and exhausted them trying to save people they’d never met.
You showed up to hospital emergency rooms crying because you’d been exposed to tear gas. You got obnoxious and demanded to be treated like you were somehow dying. You knew it was a riot, you chose not to leave, you chose to stick around and breathe the tear gas in. You took nurses and doctors away from people who needed their care to live. People they’d never met but work tirelessly to save. You demanded to be treated as if you were better than the rest of society.
You’d tell me that the emergency services personnel I speak of are paid to do this job and chose to be there. You’re right. We give a damn about people we’ve never met and property that isn’t ours, that’s why we do what we do. You disgust us.
What brought a tear to my eye, after the gas had cleared, was standing in the middle of an intersection at about 3am the only people I’d seen for the last 30 minutes were other police officers, until a shop keeper brought us a case of water. Then I saw a random person with a broom clearing the sidewalk. I had a duty to respond, the citizens of Vancouver immediately afterward could have just left it up to those paid to deal with it. They didn’t just stand by, they came out in force and cleaned up after your indiscretions. Everyone I saw that early morning thanked me, I was only doing my job. I have the utmost respect for all of the people from Vancouver and the surrounding areas that came downtown and volunteered to clean up after you.
You owe Vancouver and the surrounding population more than mere words. Don’t you dare ask for our forgiveness without taking responsibility. You can’t fix life altering injuries with an “I’m Sorry”. You can’t repay someone’s car loan with a YouTube video. You ask that people leave you and your family alone but you offer no way to replace priceless losses.
You’ll sleep soundly in your bed tonight because men and women like me will always be there to deal with your poor choices. You have no idea how fortunate you are, even after we arrest and charge you. Even though you disgust me, if you call for me in the middle of the night I’ll respond. I’ll protect your life and property because it’s right and it’s what I do.
The evening of June 15, 2011 fellow emergency services personnel, my brothers and sisters, left our families at home and while grossly out numbered stood to fight. The morning of June 16, 2011 the true heroes emerged to volunteer their time and restored my faith in humanity.
Actions speak louder than words. What are you going to do about that?
— a police officer from the suburbs, who was called in to serve and protect on that night; a proud Vancouverite.