Letters from the Front Lines: Vancouver Riot

Downtown Vancouver is Home, Sweet, Home

Photo by MKandG

You may not accept my note because I do not necessarily fit the profile you are seeking, but I witnessed the riot from a very unique perspective: my home. What many people who chose to participate in the riot do not seem to fully comprehend is that Downtown Vancouver is not just a place to shop, dine, work and party…it is also a place where people live. It is, in fact, a community. I reside in one of the towers overlooking the CBC building. I chose to watch the games from the comfort of my own home and in the six weeks of playoff games, I must admit, the growing numbers of cheering fans crowded outside my window added to the excitement, enthusiasm and viewing enjoyment. But what happened on June 15 not only broke my heart and shamed my city, it also terrorized my community. From my window, I saw what most of you only saw on TV. Burning cars. Riot police. Tear gas canisters. And ordinary citizens throwing bottles, tipping over porta-potties, ripping up parts of the Library and surrounding buildings, and burning trash. I had friends over to my home so we could share in what we were all hoping would be a big moment of celebration for everyone in Vancouver. Instead, we ended up feeling trapped in the building, afraid to go out on the street, and my guests scared to go back to their own homes. We were, in effect, terrorized.

Well, you can say “but you chose to live in Downtown Vancouver, so you should expect this.” Yes, I chose to live here. But I never expected this. Why would I? Do you expect that sort of vandalism and violence in your neighbourhoods? I live in Downtown Vancouver because it is beautiful, convenient, filled with a wealth of cultural and leisurely activities and is the hub of nearly everything in our community. And Downtown Vancouver is a welcoming place. Every year, we throw open our doors and lay out our welcome mats for events like the Fireworks, the Film Festival, Gay Pride, the Santa Claus Parade, and Dine Out…all events I’m sure many of you have attended. Last year, we welcomed the whole world into our backyards to celebrate the amazing 2010 Olympic Winter Games. And this year, we did it once again for every game of the playoff season. That’s not something every neighbourhood in Greater Vancouver is willing to do.

You see, Downtown Vancouver, with its sinewy seawall and sparkling skyline, is not just the postcard image of our city. It is a community. A place where people come home to every night after a long day at the office. Where we gather with friends and family. Where we celebrate life’s special moments. And where we make new friends. In fact, we’re the people who always welcome everyone into our community. We’re that friend (like myself on June 15) who has that great apartment with a great view and throws the biggest and best parties that you always say “Yeah, we need to go back there again!” the next morning.

But on June 15? You were that horrible party guest who trashed and looted the apartment, terrorized the host, and then went home to brag about it on Facebook. And left us feeling scared and unsafe in our own home and wishing we had never hosted the party in the first place. And even worse…doubtful we ever want you back here again!

To the people who protected us on June 15, you did an amazing job. To those who came back on June 16th and helped clean up this mess, you gave us faith in people again. I cannot thank you all enough! But to those of you who “got caught up in the moment” on June 15…you need to make things right again. You need to come forward. You need to turn yourselves in. You need to realize that you exercised poor judgement and made bad choices and realize that in life, our choices and actions come with consequences as well as rewards. You need to make me, my friends, my neighbours feel safe in our homes again. Because for our city and our citizens to heal from this, we need to forgive you. But in order for us to do that, you need to be contrite and remorseful and sincere and ask for forgiveness. Otherwise, we’ll never want you in our home again.

— a Downtown resident, and proud Vancouverite.