1994 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot facts for kids
The 1994 Vancouver Stanley Cup Riot was a big public disturbance that happened on June 14, 1994, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was the first time Vancouver had seen such a large riot since 1972, when a concert by The Rolling Stones led to a clash between police and fans.
What Caused the 1994 Vancouver Riot?
The riot started right after a big hockey game. The New York Rangers had just beaten the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. This was the final game of the championship series. Many fans were very disappointed that their home team, the Canucks, lost.
How the Riot Began
The trouble began on Robson and Thurlow Street. A man fell from a streetlight into the crowd, which was already very large. When police officers, who were on bikes, tried to help paramedics get through the crowd, some people tried to take the bikes from the police. The police warned the crowd to leave the area and then moved back.
Police Response and Aftermath
After a short time, riot police arrived in the area. They used tear gas to try and break up the large crowd. This caused people to scatter in many different directions. During the disturbance, many stores had their windows broken. For example, about 50 windows were smashed at a large department store called Eaton's.
The tear gas also affected people living nearby. It drifted into open windows of homes in the West End area. A hospital nearby, St. Paul's, had to put guards at its emergency room entrance. They did this to prevent people affected by tear gas from coming inside, as they said there wasn't much they could do for them. Later, security guards put out bowls of water for people suffering from the tear gas. The total cost of the damage in the downtown area was estimated to be about $1.1 million CAD.
