Imagine a riot like this after Maryhill...or the X Games...

[skategeezer]

Sometimes you just have to wonder....why does skateboarding get such a bad rep when stuff like this happens?

Rioters run amok in Montreal after playoff victory

16 arrested after post-game melee


Bradley Bouzane , Canwest News Service

Published: Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Montreal Canadiens are still 12 wins away from the Stanley Cup, but many fans lashed out in a big way Monday night.
Hoards of rioting fans set fire to police cars, smashed store windows and looted local businesses following the Canadiens' Game 7 playoff win over the Boston Bruins.
Police arrested 16 people, who face a number of charges - including breaking and entering a business, armed assault on a police officer, mischief on a police vehicle, assault and various bylaw infractions.
Montreal police stand over a car that was torched during a riot Monday night.

Allen McInnis/Montreal Gazette



"After the Canadiens won their game, people started attacking private businesses, attacking police officers and throwing rocks or any objects they could find at police cars," said Montreal Police Const. Laurent Gingras.
"Officers had to call for backup from the riot squad and from other parts of the city and control was taken back at about 2 a.m. this morning."
Gingras said 16 police vehicles were badly damaged and had to be towed away. As many as six of those vehicles were torched by rioters. A number of private vehicles were also damaged Monday night.
Gingras said police review of video footage from the scene may result in additional arrests.
After the situation had returned to normal, a number of police patrols remained on duty in the area.
The amount of damage to vehicles and businesses is not currently known, Gingras said, adding that it may take some time before the total is determined.
One female police officer was injured in the fracas, but returned to duty before the end of her shift.
The game ended about 10 p.m., and after street celebrations in the city's downtown began to settle down about an hour later, individual groups began causing problems.
The Montreal riot squad was put into action to quell the violence, but they were already on hand with other police units in anticipation of an anxious crowd after the game.
Now, with the Canadiens set to enter the second round of the playoffs, Gingras said tactical adjustments may be necessary.
"Our investigators are going analyze what happened here and see if we need to change our strategy for the next couple of games," Gingras said.
"Before, during and after each game at the Bell Centre, we have police officers present and usually things go pretty well. We had a higher number of officers (Monday), but some people decided to start their mischief after the game anyway."
The Canadiens wrapped up their best-of-seven quarter-final series against the Bruins with a 5-0 victory before a sell-out crowd at the Bell Centre.
The team now advances to the Eastern Conference semi-finals against either the New York Rangers or Philadelphia Flyers on its quest to win its 25th Stanley Cup.
When the team won its last championship, in 1993, rioters also took to the streets in a violent outburst that resulted in widespread damages.

[bccarlso]

Pfft, they should have celebrated good and hard, they almost got upset by the 8th seed which woulda been huge. Unfortunately even game seven wasn't that exciting.

[WyleKeaton]

The story I got is that the cops were there prior to the game because they "expected" something to go down. Then, after the game let out, there was the usual partying and excesive celebrating going on. Then as the crowd was making it's way up to St. Catherine Street - some fights broke out and the police/riot guards started to crack skulls. Then things turned really ugly....

I'm certainly not condoning public rioting - especially when you've just barely made it through the first round - but I do know that the Montreal Police need some training in crowd control.

[mangels]

I bet all the trouble makers were skateboarders. Kick-flipping little shortboarders no less.

[Warren]

Yet another reason why hockey is lame!

[claude regnier]

The only thing that this had to with hockey is the fact that the gangs involved used the game as cover in order to continue it's assault on the police of Montreal.

Just get your facts straight. There is nothing wrong with hockey just like there is nothing wrong with skateboarding.

There are tons of problems within the industries, the games and the politics of the sports but not the actual act of participating.

I wish we had tougher laws so these could get what they deserve. Maybe it would discourage more and more events like this from happening.

You know it's kind of like them using the Olympics as a screen to get public recognition as to the problems with Tibet. Well wake to #### up! It has been like that for years and no one has done #### because they are scared shitless of China.

Now, I am not saying what China is doing is fine or acceptable. I am stating the facts that losers use something good to stir up #### for heir own cause. You know just like the sk8 industry blaming everyone else except themselves for their demise. Okay wait, I am not really saying the sk8 industry is good, here. Most of you will figure it out!

[Basch]

looks like anny other soccer weekend here.

YouTube - Rellen Feyenoord-Ajax 2005

older footage I know, but still quite impressive


Then again, this too is hooliganism

YouTube - Midden Noord

It is so much more than rioting

YouTube - Zuiderpark stadion FC ADO Den Haag

[a_speck_of_dust]

theres nothing next to maryhill to smash, but i guess you can burn the brush there

danger bay would be more fun.

[elementalzoo]

Basch is right. Compared to European football riots or South American ones, that hockey riot was tame

And, isn't a riot after a football ( soccor ) match kind of mandatory?

[Mile_High_Mark]

I like watching hockey. I skate, too. I must be on some "most wanted" list just for that...

[TwinTown Skater]

Hooligans, the lot. I think it's the seperatists warming up for the big independence push.

I jest. Not sure why sports fans all over the world think that the appropriate way to celebrate is property destruction. Yes, the heavy hand of the law probably had some influence(16 Cruisers had to be towed away!) , but things may well have gotten ugly even if the police had been more low key.

I too like hockey. This just detracts from the real skills and the game, just like the throw back fisticuffs on the ice.

[A.J.]

The attack on Montreal's SPVM and cop cars was planned like a week in advance.
it was a mix of ppl wanting to stir #### up and drunken hooliganism.
arrests were done on kids ages 16 to 25.
Im glad damage was only done to the city,businesses and the cops.
not all of us have insurance.

I on the other hand bombed the Main street (on my speedboard,lol ) with a 4 foot Habs flag.
For 30 minutes i felt like an olympian carrying the torch, and not for the chinese olympics...
high-fives every street-corner and people cheering me on as i pass by there balcony or window.
if one block was too quiet, once i passed by, it wasnt quiet anymore.

The area where the fights broke out are known for hotchicks&douchebags.
those douchebags always start fights, even in the off-season.