A temporary art display appeared outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, one day before the tenth anniversary of the city's second infamous Stanley Cup riot.
On June 15, 2011, thousands of people descended on downtown, following the Vancouver Canucks' Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final. A violent mob broke police barricades, smashed storefront windows, looted businesses, and started several fires.
At least 140 people were injured and 912 charges, including assault, arson, and burglary, were approved against 300 rioters. The riot caused an estimated $2.7 million in damage to downtown businesses.
The event was also a painful reminder of the similar destruction that occurred after the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994 when the Canucks were defeated by the New York Rangers.
To mark the sobering occasion, Vancouver filmmakers Kat Jayme and Asia Youngman organized a pop-up installation at the art gallery's north plaza. Jayme is also the director of the award-winning 2018 documentary Finding Big Country.
"I think we made worldwide news for all the wrong reasons. Ten years have passed. I think now we can look back with a clearer mind and really try to have this important conversation; I think it is important to look back at our history, no matter how painful it is," says Jayme.
The interactive exhibit featured an LED screen showing riot footage, some of the plywood used to board up The Bay store windows (on loan from the Museum of Vancouver), and a blank board for passersby to jot down memories of the riot.
Fans are also encouraged to email [email protected] so they can share personal experiences.
"It's sort of fascinating looking at human behaviour, in particular mob mentality, which really kind of sparked this whole riot that happened not only in 2011 but also in 1994," explains Youngman.
The temporary display was set up in collaboration with American sports network ESPN for an upcoming project.
With files from Mike Howell
