(06/15/12) -

Metro Vancouver Residents Want Riot Investigation to Continue

Three-in-five respondents believe police and public officials have learned enough from last year’s trouble to better respond in a riot situation.

A year after the riot that erupted following the last game of the Stanley Cup Final, a large proportion of people in Metro Vancouver believe that the investigation into the offences that were committed that day should continue, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative sample of 702 Metro Vancouver residents, 85 per cent of respondents believe the probe into riot-related offences should carry on.

Riot Perceptions

Seven-in-ten respondents (70%) think the 2011 riot was caused by a small group of people, and a majority (54%) believe police officers handled the situation in a proper manner. However, only one-in-four (26%) think there was no way to know that the crowd would become violent.

In addition, 58 per cent of Metro Vancouverites claim that the riot was the work of anarchists and not Vancouver Canuck fans, and 56 per cent argue that Vancouver’s international reputation remains tarnished.

Still, three-in-five Metro Vancouverites (59%) are “very confident” or “moderately confident” that police and public officials have learned enough from last year’s trouble to better respond in a riot situation.

Planning Ahead

Support for establishing a larger police presence for crowd control on streets for future sporting events is extremely high (90%), and two thirds of Metro Vancouverites (66%) would consent to the use of non-lethal alternatives (such as rubber bullets or bean bags shotguns) for crowd dispersal. Banning the sale of alcohol on the day of the sporting event is a contentious issue (50% support this regulation; 46% oppose it), while only one third of respondents (32%) support enacting a ban on street parties.

A majority of respondents (61%) would support their city hosting a live site downtown if the Vancouver Canucks reach the Stanley Cup Final again. However, three-in-four (74%) believe it would be better to have several smaller, neighbourhood gathering places—instead of a central site—for future sporting events.

Three-in-five respondents (61%) believe the cities that host large public gatherings should be primarily responsible for policing and clean up. Significantly smaller proportions would place this task in the hands of the province (15%) or the private sector (10%).

Finally, the notion of the Canucks changing their uniform, because of all the pictures of rioters who wore their current colours, is rejected by 85 per cent of Metro Vancouverites.

Analysis

Metro Vancouverites are unwavering in their desire to carry on with the riot investigation. The results echo the feelings that were evident in an Angus Reid Public Opinion survey conducted in the immediate aftermath of the riots, when practically every respondent called for the people who took part in riots to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

It is also important to note that most Metro Vancouverites believe that police and public officials will be better prepared for a new massive gathering, and they would be happy to see their city host one the next time the Canucks reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From June 11 to June 12, 2012, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 702 randomly selected Metro Vancouver adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.7%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.