As the carnage unfolded last evening in Vancouver the Boston Sports Desk reported that there had been three confirmed deaths as a result of the rioting that was taking place.
BSD relied on a proven source who was on the ground in the middle of the action, despite great personal risk. The source had relied on initial Vancouver Police Department reports that identified three stabbing victims as having perished from their wounds.
The original report was published on this website immediately upon receipt in the interest of keeping our readers abrest of developments in real time. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts to maintain the highest journalistic standards, Boston Sports Desk is unable to further verify the three deaths (luckily) and can no longer stand behind the story.
Therefore, we issue a full retraction of the story and a sincere apology to anyone effected by its publication, including the people of Vancouver and British Columbia.
Kevin Harriman, Publisher
Mark Harriman, Senior Editor
Wake the fuck up Vancouver, it’s just a game!
What happened in Vancouver after the game was embarrassing and despicable and in no means acceptable regardless of a win or lose. I am a Vancouver resident and I am truly in shock of what took place last night. This is not a representation of the people in Vancouver – and anyone that has been to Vancouver can attest to this. The individuals that were involved in these riots were not from Vancouver. These were hooligans looking to make trouble regardless of the outcome of the game, using this event as their gateway to riot. Riots feed on crowds; all of the days leading up to the playoff final game 7, Vancouver fans were out supporting their team – an even larger crowd was expected on the big day, rioters used this to their advantage. It was unfortunate the public celebration of the Stanley cup finals ended the way it did, it was a night for the Boston Bruins fans to celebrate their victory. For that we apologize on behalf of the people that invaded our city with no common sense or morals.
Yeah because other cities don’t riot after sporting events, Its strictly a canadian thing – Give your head a shake. The one that immediatly comes to mind. When Boston won the World series against the Yankees in 2004, was’nt a girl killed in the riots?
I am sick of reading things about Vancouver’s tarnished reputation. From what I can see and have read is that the rioting was incited by non-hockey fans looking to start trouble (some of which were identified as people of interest from potential Olympic riots) , and then unfortunately the young, misguided and completely moronic hockey fans took over from there. Totally unfortunate for true Canucks fans (that actually have common sense and class) to be grouped in with you dumbasses.
Painting all of Vancouver guilty is simply unfair. I am not a Vancouver Canucks fan, in fact I cheer for the enemy and I absolutely hate Canucks fans – especially now. But you can’t blame the team or the city for the utter stupidity of these rioting fans. My best friend lives in Vancouver and apparently tons of people poured into the city for game 7 from all over British Columbia. Many a rioter was not from the immediate Vancouver area.
I am not sticking up for the fans. If you look at online pictures or viral videos, clearly its Canucks fans rioting and acting like superior idiots. But I am sticking up for the city of Vancouver. They are the unfortunate victims here, their downtown core was demolished by vandalism and fires. I also feel bad for the families with young children that may have been in the area to witness such mindless destruction.
Wake up Canucks fans!! If you do not support what happened on Wednesday night then you need to help bring these asses to justice. They tarnished the fan bases reputation – Not the cities.
And to the rioters that seem so proud of all of this destruction (As seen on Facebook and Twitter accounts), Your all a bunch of complete idiots! You should all be ashamed of yourselves. Your mother’s must be so proud! You should all be round and up publicly flogged and humiliated.
Winterswolves…Thanks for the comment….please check our response yesterday to Dee……and I am only speaking for this site…we don’t beleive many …if…any Vancouver Hockey Fans were involved in the BS that took place during and after the game. When we visted your City of Games 1 and 2, we were treated wonderfully by your fans…..
Vancouver is still a GREAT City with Great Hockey Fans !!
Thanks!!
In all my angst for the rioters I forgot to mention – Congrats to the Bruins on winning the cup! I was cheering for Boston because as I mentioned I am Not a Canucks fan (I am a devout Flames fan). Tim Thomas was incredible for the Bruins, Lucic is a Beast!! The Bruins deserved to win the cup!
My hotel room overlooked the madness… Very scary stuff. Had to celebrate the Bruins win from the safety of the Hotel room…
I’m a Canucks fan but this is extremely unacceptable. The Bruins deserved to win because they tried extremely hard. It’s a GAME, the rioting is completely ridiculous and is giving a horrible image to Canada. Some people need to grow up and give respect. No lives should have been taken tonight.
I’m glad you did. I can’t believe how poorly people reacted, and that they would harm people just for the hockey team they cheer for. Congrats Boston
Get in touch with me when you get back !! be safe
It is an absolute disgrace what the few Vancouverites displayed tonight! I am from Vancouver and I feel so embaraced. Congratulations on the victory Boston, you played great! I hope a select few’s actions haven’t tanted your victory!
What is your source?
This is very sad to read, I am a Canuck fan and yes disappointed at the loss against a great team, good job Bruins and congrats on your win, it was a great playoff season for all. I am sorry our city of Vancouver didn’t show the respect both teams deserved. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who were lost.
As a Vancouver fan I am ashamed. This isn’t how we act and I can not believe the mayhem some drunken idiots create. There is no excuse for any of this. And please know, the true fans went home to their families and they were the ones cheering when the cup was hoisted by the team that beat them.
I’m a Canuck fan from Vancouver and have to apologize for what has happened! These people are not real Canuck fans and certainly don’t represent the whole! We, the real fans, are like the fans at the game, we even cheered for Thomas and them for a job well done in their part! I’m ashamed and horrified for those rioters behavior! It’s horrible
Sorry, but where is your source? There are no confirmed deaths yet. Please don’t spread unconfirmed rumours.
This is like murder! Sorry boston. I never thought us Canadians were so patriotic with hockey. I can’t believe we are stabbing the oposing teams fans.
was it a male or female Bruins fan that was stabbed?
funny that your the only ones in the entire world reporting or saying there were deaths in Vancouver, you must have better reporters than CNN!
No confirmed deaths, from what I can see watching the morning news the last hour and a half.
Having said that, it does NOT negate the stupidity of the people that rioted, caused extensive property damage, looted, and terrorized Vancouver. These people are NOT representative of my city, nor my country, and frankly are an embarrassment.
Please, do not paint us all with their paintbrush. The TRUE Canucks fans, while sad, are proud of their team for making it all the way to Game 7. It was a helluva run.
Congratulations to the Boston Bruins. It was a great series.
Dee, Thanks for the comment….Vancouver PD just told us that things are still a “mess” right now but they will have more info shortly. They are trying to re-confirm the 3 deaths that they had given us last night. What they did say as of a minute ago was…Over 200 injured, 2 serios traumas, 3 stabbings….1 severe head injury…there are 44 patients in the hospital, 14 more waiting for treatment and 50 people brought in from inhaling pepper spray…..
I hope we have to re-tract our 3 deaths story…Nothing would give me greater pleasure !!
The word we are getting in Boston is that the vast majority of the idiots rioting were NOT AT THE GAME…..
here here Dee … well said!
Ridiculous.
So, so tragic. I had a feeling that this would happen. Fools.
I am a Vancouver fan haven’t missed a game in years, (no I wasn’t in the riot) but this is just disgusting. I am so embarrassed to see what I saw last night for the second time the Canucks got to the cup and lost. Even though I am a true fan and think that the team should be moved or dissolved if this is going to happen every single time we lose a cup chance. My heart goes out to the people who have been hurt and to the Boston fans who were getting beat up just because their team won. This is sick. These people who started the riot and majorly participated were not Canucks fans they were people who went down town to stir up trouble and to start another 94′ riot. I would also like to say admit I had been cheering for Boston since the beginning of the season and they didn’t disappoint in the final, even if they had to beat my team to hoist the cup.
Its not Vancouver that acted poorly. It was the sore individuals that try to stir up trouble when ever they want. They destroyed out reputation and we are doing everything we can to catch them
WHAT THE HELL ARE THE FANS THINKING, DOING THAT TO A FAN JUST BECAUSE THEY WERENT GOING FOR THE SAME TEAM!!! ITS A GAME THATS ALL AND IM STILL LOUD AND PROUD OF THE CANUCKS, THEY DID AWESOME AND MADE IT THIS FAR IN THE PLAYOFFS, WHY BE THAT MAD AND GO TO THAT EXTREME?? JUST CRAZY IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY AND BS
I live and breathe CANUCKS! and im so embaressed and ashamed of what these loser have done to our city! they are not true fans just true LOSERS! I am just as upset as they are that we lost the cup but i would never start a roit or harm the other fans.. its just ..unhuman.
This is a lie, bad journalism and just plain irresponsible. No one died! Get your facts straight!
bgirl, please take a look at our retraction…..sorry for the confusion !!
Kevin Harriman
I gotta say, being a Canadian….and a proud one, these idiots have really let Canada down. From being so proud with the Olympic atmosphere to seeing this. I can not believe it happened. I lived the 2006 riot in Edmonton when the Oilers were on a roll and thought that was bad. But after seeing this and looking at the facebook pages…the way people were bragging about what they had done last night, all I can say is I feel sorry for the majority of the people in Vancouver. It was a case of “Monkey see, monkey do”…. A couple idiots started it and the low lifes followed. I hope every single one of those assholes gets thrown in jail!!
Jukester, As we CORRECTLY reported earlier, most of the nit-wits were not even at the game…….the true hockey fans respected the event and honored both teams….That’s how I’m going to remember things !!
Thanks for the comment !!
Kevin Harriman
The rioting had little to do with losing the game. It happened because some punks decided in advance that they were going to riot regardless of what the outcome of the game was going to be. Even before the game started, the crowds on the street were unruly, and it was a much different atmosphere than from the previous events during the series. They came prepared with bats, masks, and fuel, and most of the troublemakers were not even local residents, but kids from the outlying cities. It’s unfortunate that Vancouver will have to carry this tainted image once more, all because of a few idiots.
Congratulations to the Boston Bruins..You played well ..Thomas you were amazing!!.. Sorry you had to be escorted out of our city..and the downtown core, where the caos and hooligans were out of control and disgraceful.
As a Vancouverite and a woman, I am ashamed at the behavior of so many.
Please know that as Canadians we are usually very respectful and Vancouver is a beautiful and safe city to be in.
To all the Boston Bruins Fans (and their families) visiting our city to watch your team play, I am sorry, We made you feel unsafe…and unwelcome. Please wear your jersey with Pride. WE owe YOU all an apology!
apparently your “proven” source has only “proven” to be an idiot who reported rumor
I just want to say thanks to Boston Sports Desk for two reasons: retracting the original report about confirmed deaths, and for understanding that the rioting was not a true representation of Vancouver or Canucks fans. It would be so easy to paint an ugly picture of the opposing team’s fans and city, but you’re showing true integrity instead, and that is much appreciated.
Oh, and congratulations on the Cup, you guys deserve it!
ABOLISH THE N.H.L. AND MELT DOW N THE STANLEY CUP. JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!! But those responsible should be identified and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I suppose some bleeding hearts would cry foul if they used rubber bullets or other means but, hey, the anarchist groups need to get the message. (What would happen if you went to an anarchist group meeting and caused anarchy? Set fired to their cars, equipment, etc., THEN watch they scream for police protection. OR, identify them, parade them in chains, naked, down the streets of Vancouver and let Canucks fans throw eggs, tomatoes, etc. at them. Talk about anarchy.) I’m first a Montreal fan, then a Toronto fan, then a Vancouver fan, but Boston deserved to win by the way they played. I have nothing to be ashamed about, it’s the rioters who need to be ashamed.
One man has taken it upon himself to “Publicly Shame” rioters that have been identified. His name is Captain Vancouver. He is doing some great work! Most young offenders involved in the riots will likely get away with a slap on the wrist, either by community service or simply having a savvy lawyer. A Public Shaming in the viral age assures that these young people will forever carry this regret the rest of their lives. If interested, check out the link below.
http://publicshamingeternus.wordpress.com/
I’m not usually a hockey fan except when it is the final 7 games! th Excitement is just awesome! But when I found out about these riots I felt so ashamed to be Canadian and still do. These are just games and to have rioters and angry fans do this to a beautiful city because Boston won (which they deserve I personally feel that the Canuks didn’t do their best) . It is a game! I cna’t believe the foolishness of the people. I always found the world looks at us Canadians as peacekeepers…now becasue of a bunch of drunk morons we look bad. What makes it worse I find is that some Americans think it is ok to blame all Canadians for this and call all of us morons. I have made my stand against those who call us all morons for the acts of petty crimials and drunk morons. Still I am glad to see we had some people willing to appologies and who felt genuine guilt for what they did.
[...] Retraction on Riot Deaths As the carnage unfolded last evening in Vancouver the Boston Sports Desk reported that there had been three confirmed [...] [...]
This has nothing to do with Canuck fans. I was at the outdoor venue for game three with my son and it was a great experience with everyone getting along great weather they cheered for Boston or Vancouver. My son went to all the final games watching on the big screen and there was no issue. When he arrived at the final game 2 hours before the start, he could already tell there was going to be trouble. He could hear people in the crowd talking about creating problems and he said it was obvious they were not there to watch the hockey game. He left just before the game finished and managed to avoid most of the riot. The ring leaders of this are the same ones that tried to cause a riot during the Olympic games but nobody joined them then and the police quickly rounded them up.
I’ve lived in many great cities around the world and none is better than Vancouver.
Every city has it’s idiot’s. You’ve now seen ours!!!!!!!!!