By STEPHANIE IP/QMI Agency
When the third period buzzer went, fans started throwing bottles and cans at the massive TV screens set up on Georgia Street and Hamilton Street, and the mayhem quickly escalated.
One Canucks fan reported that a man in a Bruins shirt turned to him and punched him in the face, leaving him bleeding.
The violence quickly escalated as a vehicle in front the Canada Post building was overturned, its bumper and doors ripped off before people jumped on top of it and set it on fire.
A second car was also set ablaze.
Within a few minutes, at least 100 police in riot gear were pushing back the crowds of mostly youths, some of whom had their faces covered with scarves and apparently trying to incite the crowd.
During the ensuing riot, the windows of a Bank of Montreal were smashed and someone walked into the building.
While only a few appeared to be participating in the destruction, many more followed the crowds with cameras, snapping pictures, videotaping and Tweeting what was happening.
The crowd ignored orders by police over loudspeakers to disperse.
As the tension on the street mounted, the city's mayor asked Canucks fans to "keep things respectful and safe."
Many were disappointed with the turn of events.
"I'm not going to embarrass this city and break anything. I will be a good sport about it and hope people follow my lead," said Brent Gardner, 27.
Posted 41 minutes ago
VANCOUVER — Jerseys were set on fire, cars overturned, windows broken and at least one fan rushed to hospital after plunging from the Georgia Viaduct as riots following the Canucks devastating loss.
While there was a mass exodus of fans before the end of the second period, when Vancouver was down by three goals, tens of thousands of people were still downtown when the crowd turned ugly.When the third period buzzer went, fans started throwing bottles and cans at the massive TV screens set up on Georgia Street and Hamilton Street, and the mayhem quickly escalated.
One Canucks fan reported that a man in a Bruins shirt turned to him and punched him in the face, leaving him bleeding.
The violence quickly escalated as a vehicle in front the Canada Post building was overturned, its bumper and doors ripped off before people jumped on top of it and set it on fire.
A second car was also set ablaze.
Within a few minutes, at least 100 police in riot gear were pushing back the crowds of mostly youths, some of whom had their faces covered with scarves and apparently trying to incite the crowd.
During the ensuing riot, the windows of a Bank of Montreal were smashed and someone walked into the building.
While only a few appeared to be participating in the destruction, many more followed the crowds with cameras, snapping pictures, videotaping and Tweeting what was happening.
The crowd ignored orders by police over loudspeakers to disperse.
As the tension on the street mounted, the city's mayor asked Canucks fans to "keep things respectful and safe."
On Twitter, he said police and fire were working to put our small fires and urged people to leave the downtown area.
"Please move away to allow crews to move in and keep people safe."Many were disappointed with the turn of events.
"I'm not going to embarrass this city and break anything. I will be a good sport about it and hope people follow my lead," said Brent Gardner, 27.
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