The city of Vancouver spent the day after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals assessing damage, repairing the streets and trying to figure out what went wrong as rioters took over downtown following the Canucks loss to the Boston Bruins. Following the game, rioters took over, destroying cars, damaging storefronts and looting nearby businesses.
Vancouver police chief Jim Chu estimated close to 100 people were arrested during the riots, with another 150 people sent to the hospital. The injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to stab wounds after the crowds grew violent following the loss. Nine police officers were among those who suffered injuries, and many of the rioters were caught on tape fighting with those in-place to calm the crowds.
Early damage estimates rose above the $1 million dollar mark, and one business reportedly surpassed that total on its own.
Nearby London Drugs was perhaps the hardest-hit venue, with 20 employees forced to retreat when a mob broke through the store's locked and barricaded doors. The company's CEO estimates a $1 million total setback due to destruction and stolen product.
Cleanup efforts took place Thursday morning and by mid-afternoon, the city was spotless. Other than the broken windows and damaged storefronts, it was tough to tell a riot took place. It's a testament to the citizens of Vancouver who came out and volunteered to clean the city after the embarrassing display by the rioters the night before.
While the city may be clean on a superficial level, it will take time to erase the public relations hit from the riots. Viewers in Canada and the United States watched the mayhem unfold, and the riots drew front page headlines across the nation on Thursday. But kudos to the citizens for putting for the effort and working to clean up their city after a horrific night on the streets of Vancouver.
Stay with this StoryStream for the latest on the Vancouver riots as it becomes available. For more on the game itself, head over to our Stanley Cup Finals StoryStream. We'll be following the events on Twitter, as well, and can be found @sbnseattle.