Letters from the Front Lines: Vancouver Riot

Should we have stood up to the rioters?

The most interesting moment I witnessed during the riots was when a homeless man’s bag of bottles was knocked over by one of the rioters. About 15 people yelled at the rioter and then proceeded to help the homeless man pick up his bottles. These same people then turned and watched rioters’ burn millions and millions of dollars worth of cars that were right next to us and broke windows of businesses that employ hundreds.

Why is there a difference? Why did I watch the riot with them without much initial empathy for the victims?

I wish we had all stood up to the couple of idiots doing the rioting.  At the time I thought that would just contribute to the problem. But now, after seeing the videos of people who did stand up to them, I think it may have been the solution.  

— a proud Vancouverite, and honest citizen.