Vancouver 2010 Olympic Riot

[knowledge_of_self]

_http://www.globaltvbc.com/Protestors+clash+with+police/2561748/story.html

Protestors clash with police

More than a dozen police officers blockaded Georgia Street and temporarily closed traffic on the Lions Gate bridge to deal with a series of violent Olympic protests that have seen demonstrators break windows and vandalize cars and businesses as they made their way through downtown Vancouver.

A military helicopter is flying above the police line and other helicopters are circling.

VancouverSun.com reporter Rebecca Lindell says the protesters are reassembling in an undisclosed location.

Police in riot broke up one of the protests and taken at least two people into custory.

The protest march of masked demonstrators caused police to close the Lions Gate bridge.

Some 200 Olympic protesters, staging what they have dubbed the "heart attack march," kicked cars and smashed windows on their march, police said.

Police spokeswoman Jana McGuinness, said the protesters threw objects at police, spray painted cars and transit buses and intimidated pedestrians as they proceeded down Georgia street past Granville.

McGuinness said the Vancouver police crowd control unit and 2010 Integrated Security Unit are moving in to take control of the situation.

Saturday's protests follow a standoff Friday night between demonstrators and police.

Two officers were injured as protesters hurled debris at police.

After Friday's opening ceremony was complete, both Mayor Gregor Robertson and Premier Gordon Campbell admonished protesters for escalating beyond a peaceful demonstration.

"I'm really disappointed there was violence and disrespect shown by protesters. I think all in Vancouver expect there will be peaceful protests and a few individuals crossed that line," said Robertson.

"I'm very proud of the Vancouver police department's performance. They handled the situation very well," he added.

Campbell went further in his comments Friday night, saying while all people have a right to free speech, "there's nothing that says we all have a right to attack."

"The protesters are trying to attract attention to themselves. The protesters are trying to frighten people," he said.

"Now is a time for celebration. Now is a time to try and lift Canada up," he added.

"And frankly, I think the protesters are self-centered and selfish and in many cases cowardly."

There is also this article
_http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/02/13/bc-vancouver-olympic-protest.html

A group of more than 200 masked protesters smashed windows, vandalized cars and newspaper boxes and intimidated pedestrians in downtown Vancouver Saturday morning, before being confronted and dispersed by police in riot gear.

The anti-Olympics protesters, many dressed in black balaclavas and masks and carrying a ladder, smashed up to three windows at the Hudson's Bay store and one at the Toronto-Dominion Bank near the intersection of Granville and West Georgia streets.

The group also sprayed the windows with red paint and threw marbles and spat at police before marching down West Georgia Street toward the Bayshore Hotel in Coal Harbour where the International Olympic Committee members are staying.

But as the marchers neared the hotel they were turned back by the Vancouver Police Department crowd control unit and the 2010 Integrated Security Unit at the Cardero Street intersection.

The protesters were also involved in several confrontations with supporters of the Olympic Games.

At least one protester was arrested and at one point part of the group was encircled by police at the intersection of the Robson and Jervis Streets in the downtown area.

But by noon, the rest of the protesters had been largely dispersed by police, although some of the protesters said they planned to regroup later in the day.

Meanwhile Translink, the Vancouver transit agency, said it was forced to close the Lions Gate Bridge to traffic in both directions because of a serious accident, but the bridge was reopened at 11:30 a.m. PT.

In the above article, someone commented:

Mutt777 wrote at 12:45 PM PT "Yesterday's protest was well behaved so the cops couldn't do much about it. I wouldn't doubt if this violence was orchestrated by the cops so they will have a reason to act like the A holes they are when future protests are held."
cb1613 Reply:
Whether this is the work of agents provocateurs or not, it does look a wee bit too convenient as an incident that can be exaggerated, publicised and used by local police as a pretext for forcible harassment of legit, peaceful protesters in the days and weeks to follow. Given all that has taken place already, that is bad news and this will be abused by authorities in a manner directly contrary both to free expression and to the public interest.

I agree with both of these people. I spoke to my mom who lives in downtown and witnessed the riot. She said that last night the protesters were very civil and didn't do anything bad and she couldn't believe that this happened today. She also said there were cops with snipers all over the place and she thought "isn't this a little too much?"

This is one of the pictures she took

So there is definitely something fishy going on.

 

[Voyageur]

Mutt777 wrote at 12:45 PM PT "Yesterday's protest was well behaved so the cops couldn't do much about it. I wouldn't doubt if this violence was orchestrated by the cops so they will have a reason to act like the A holes they are when future protests are held."
cb1613 Reply:
Whether this is the work of agents provocateurs or not, it does look a wee bit too convenient as an incident that can be exaggerated, publicised and used by local police as a pretext for forcible harassment of legit, peaceful protesters in the days and weeks to follow. Given all that has taken place already, that is bad news and this will be abused by authorities in a manner directly contrary both to free expression and to the public interest.

agree with both of these people. I spoke to my mom who lives in downtown and witnessed the riot. She said that last night the protesters were very civil and didn't do anything bad and she couldn't believe that this happened today. She also said there were cops with snipers all over the place and she thought "isn't this a little too much?"

This is one of the pictures she took

So there is definitely something fishy going on.

Deedlet,

Fwiw, watched this too yesterday and it seemed very contrived given what is known about the security apparatus surrounding the Games; this seems to be the modus operandi of events held all over the globe as of late, peaceful protesters, then the agitator provocateurs have their way (prescribed?) with the predictabilities that follow – this assuredly may not be the last of this in your location given the emphasis of some 15,000 paid police/security personnel. :(

Couple of observations while flying into Richmond the other week; there are 3 very large tends setup on the west runway filled with fighter jets of some sort and in behind are a number of military helicopters. While over the ocean a few frigate type ships were floating about and who knows what else. This may seem normal to many, however, it seems hostile and ominous to me; but like you said, “… there is definitely something fishy going on.”