1994 Vancouver Stanley Cup Riot

The 1994 Vancouver Stanley Cup Riot occurred in Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on the evening of June 14, 1994, and continued into the following morning. The riot followed Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals in which the Vancouver Canucks lost to the New York Rangers.

After the NHL game ended, an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 individuals converged upon Downtown Vancouver. The gathering developed into a riot at Robson and Thurlow Street, after an accident involving a man who fell from a lamp standard into the crowd below. The police, who were on bicycles, attempted to escort paramedics into the crowd. When members of the crowd attempted to take a bicycle from one constable, police retreated and warned the crowd to disperse. Shortly after the riot squad congregated on Thurlow St. on the West side, police fired tear gas into the crowd, causing people to run in all directions. Many major retailers along Robson had their windows broken, including an Eaton's department store which had more than 50 smashed. The storefronts were eventually guarded by a constable as police regained control of the streets.

Tear gas wafted through the open windows of West End residents that night. St. Paul's Hospital responded to the situation by placing guards at the emergency room entrance to prevent tear gas victims from entering, claiming there was nothing that could be done for them. Eventually, as reported in The New York Times, bowls with water were placed outside by the security guards for those suffering from tear gas. Total damage to the downtown core was estimated at $1.1 million Canadian Dollars.

Subduing the crowd required the direct involvement of over 540 officers, of the Vancouver Police Department and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Numerous individuals were arrested and charged, and up to 200 people were injured.