I am so embarrassed, so incredibly embarrassed to be a part of this city. Last night I was ecstatic to see the Montreal Canadiens win. They played a horrible game on Thursday and Saturday was a great game but we lost. It was the last chance to stay in the playoffs and Montreal played so well, kicking Boston’s ass in a five-nothing shut-out game. It was exciting, it was inspiring, it was awesome.
The game finished just past 9:30 pm and I went to bed just before the local news at 11:30 pm. During that two hour period I took some pictures of two girls in Canadiens shirts standing on the median of our street, arms in the air, screaming and jumping up and down. Cars with Canadiens flags honked their horns all up and down the street, some of them yelling to each other from their open windows. It was great, it was a huge celebration and although I did hope the kids would sleep through the noise (they did), I was happy to hear so many people who were so obviously thrilled that we’ve moved up to the next level. Great team spirit, great city morale.
And then I woke up this morning. I always watch Canada AM in the morning because it’s a great national news show. While I was getting Hayley’s breakfast ready, I heard something about hockey riots. I figured they were talking about concerns of a repeat of 1993’s riots after Montreal beat L.A. for the Stanley Cup. Except when I got to sit down for a few minutes to watch the local segment I discovered they were talking about last night, where people in the downtown area smashed store windows, looted some stores, jumped up and down on police cars, ripped the cars apart, and then as a final touch, set several police cars on fire.
They arrested 16 people ranging in age from 14 to 25. I hope they fine them a ridiculous amount of money and give them jail time too. Those are the people who are ruining Montreal’s reputation all across Canada today and they’re the ones who destroy everything for the normal fans who make noise and jump around without destroying things. They also took away so much from the team that worked so hard to play an incredible game last night. As one of the CTV reporters pointed out this morning, one of the newspapers that had a late enough deadline to cover the story had a huge picture of the destruction and story about the riot, with a tiny little corner down at the bottom mentioning that we won. That’s disgusting. The game itself should have been an enormous headline with a gigantic photo to accompany it but it’s the lesser part of the story after what happened. On the local news reports, the riots are reported first; the outcome of the game is nothing more than an afterthought – ‘oh yeah, and we won”.
I hope the team will make a formal announcement condemning this type of behavior. It’s not supporting your home team in any way.
You can see the ridiculous footage of what happened right here.
Update: Steve has more photos of the disgusting display or mayhem.
Amen sister! I am very thankful that Detroit has managed to celebrate 3 Stanley Cups, 3 NBA Championships and a World Series run in decent style since the riots after the Tigers won the World Series in 1984. However, my alma mater Michigan State can not say the same thing. They just had another riot a few weeks ago. There were 3 riots in the time I went there. I do not understand why people feel the need to destroy things that do not belong to them. However I think alcohol has alot to do with these things.
Makes you wonder what makes certain people do things like that … and actually think it is normal. Desensitized with all the violent games? or something else? Sad.
Canadiens fans are the most obnoxious of any professional sports team in North America. Cheering for your team is one thing, jeering and booing the opposing team, or certain players on it, for no good reason, is quite another. And when has any other city in Canada ever had a hockey riot?
It demonstrates a lack of class and sportsmanship that is sickening to behold.
Wait… they did this because their team WON? o_o I am not seeing the logic here… if there is any.
Dare I wonder what would have happened if their team lost?
What is this game you are lamenting?
A gang of steriodal blokes on skates assault each other over possession – of a rubber ‘puck’. Mustn’t play nice like those sissy Euros – can’t ever let skill determine the contest. No way.
During the night’s on-ice bloodbaths the rubber laws of our um, ‘civilization’ steadfastly look the other way and this Romanesque celebration of Assault (which by law would result in court dates, fines, and jail time – under any other circumstances) is closely observed from the stands by people who can’t possibly enjoy a gladiatorial spectacle without also being soused.
This ‘sport’ is promoted primarily for being violent. Gotta let the boys be boys. Thus certain talent-devoid players attend. They have no other reason for being in the building than a willingness (on demand) to hammer someone to improve waning fan morale.
Fans pay to see this idiocy and expect such violence – especially in the third period when the home team is losing badly. Violence routinely occurs at the coach’s discretion, or just reflects lack of it.
The ‘fans’ who caused the damage in Montreal (have we forgotten Vancouver’s riots on Robson Street so soon?) clearly were mentally unstable to have reacted as they did..
But it’s a mystery, you say, that such things as riots – among the psychologically impaired – can happen in Montreal? Or Canada?
No kidding? I’m surprised there isn’t more of it.