Montreal cops to change tactics in wake of riot
Updated Tue. Apr. 22 2008 7:07 PM ET courtesy of CTV.ca News Staff
Police in Montreal say they'll change tactics later this week, when the Canadiens hit the ice again following Monday's riot in the city.
They're not saying exactly what changes they'll make for Thursday's game, which will kick off the second round of the playoffs. CTV Montreal reported Tuesday night that for future games, authorities may shut down Montreal's famed Ste-Catherine Street.
That's the street that was the site of much of the rioting following Monday's Habs win against the Boston Bruins. Some unruly fans stomped on police cars, even setting several cruisers on fire. Others bashed and destroyed storefronts.
Police blamed what they said were small, organized groups of vandals for the mayhem that followed the Canadiens' series-winning victory.
Rioters damaged 16 police cruisers and 10 downtown buildings. One officer told CTV Montreal that five or six cruisers had been set on fire.
Despite everything, police chief Yvan Delorme told a Tuesday news conference that his service's main goal of protecting people and property had been accomplished.
"What I retain from this is there was not a citizen or a police officer injured, and I think that was the principle objective we had," he said.
Many Montrealers say they're embarrassed by the mahem, which was broadcast around the world by mainstream media. Images have also gone viral on the videosharing site YouTube, several having already recieved more than 5,000 hits each within the first 24 hours.
Security expert Martin Courcy believes the heavily recorded riot is a relatively new phenomenon that speaks to disaffected youth.
"They targeted police cars because it's spectacular to put such images on YouTube," he said.
The game, the seventh between the Canadiens and the Boston Bruins, ended around 9:30 p.m. ET with a 5-0 Montreal win at the Bell Centre.
The violent riots along Ste-Catherine Street didn't begin until about two hours later.
Assistant police director Pierre-Paul Pechette said some "started throwing bottles of beer and bricks at our police."
Most of the crowd's behaviour was fine. "It was a few specific individuals," he told CTV Montreal.
Some of the vandals torched police cars.
Most of the damage to buildings had been repaired by mid-morning. CTV Montreal's Rob Lurie said police estimated the total damage to be $500,000.
On Tuesday, storeowners were seen cleaning up their properties and restoring broken windows. One storeowner said the riot has left him "nervous" and "afraid."
Another business owner, Fadi Bachour, told CTV Montreal that his storefront was damaged both last night and in 1993.
"I find it a very barbarian way to celebrate this big event," he said. "For the 21st century, maybe not so barbarian like this?"
Bachour said he'll have to do more to provide security for his store, perhaps spending the night inside it the next time a series is decided.
Sixteen people were arrested, including three young offenders. Charges range from mischief and breaking and entering to assaulting a police officer.
Dave McIlroy spent the night in jail after police arrested him during the post-game celebrations.
"I was just screaming in the streets," he told CTV on Tuesday. "I might have been yelling a little loud, I certainly wasn't throwing anything at any windows or trashing any cars."
McIlroy, who was fined $75 for drunken loitering, said he didn't even know about all the destruction until he was released Tuesday.
"I would have had nothing to do with that, I'd rather go home," he said.
Lance Heffernan witnessed much of the violence from the McDonald's where he works. "As a person and a fan, I didn't like it. People acted foolish," he said.
In 1993, hooligans caused millions of dollars worth of damage following the Canadiens' Stanley Cup win. The same thing happened in 1986.
With files from CTV's Jed Kahane, Rob Lurie, Derek Conlon and Annie DeMelt
Updated Tue. Apr. 22 2008 7:07 PM ET courtesy of CTV.ca News Staff
Police in Montreal say they'll change tactics later this week, when the Canadiens hit the ice again following Monday's riot in the city.
They're not saying exactly what changes they'll make for Thursday's game, which will kick off the second round of the playoffs. CTV Montreal reported Tuesday night that for future games, authorities may shut down Montreal's famed Ste-Catherine Street.
That's the street that was the site of much of the rioting following Monday's Habs win against the Boston Bruins. Some unruly fans stomped on police cars, even setting several cruisers on fire. Others bashed and destroyed storefronts.
Police blamed what they said were small, organized groups of vandals for the mayhem that followed the Canadiens' series-winning victory.
Rioters damaged 16 police cruisers and 10 downtown buildings. One officer told CTV Montreal that five or six cruisers had been set on fire.
Despite everything, police chief Yvan Delorme told a Tuesday news conference that his service's main goal of protecting people and property had been accomplished.
"What I retain from this is there was not a citizen or a police officer injured, and I think that was the principle objective we had," he said.
Many Montrealers say they're embarrassed by the mahem, which was broadcast around the world by mainstream media. Images have also gone viral on the videosharing site YouTube, several having already recieved more than 5,000 hits each within the first 24 hours.
Security expert Martin Courcy believes the heavily recorded riot is a relatively new phenomenon that speaks to disaffected youth.
"They targeted police cars because it's spectacular to put such images on YouTube," he said.
The game, the seventh between the Canadiens and the Boston Bruins, ended around 9:30 p.m. ET with a 5-0 Montreal win at the Bell Centre.
The violent riots along Ste-Catherine Street didn't begin until about two hours later.
Assistant police director Pierre-Paul Pechette said some "started throwing bottles of beer and bricks at our police."
Most of the crowd's behaviour was fine. "It was a few specific individuals," he told CTV Montreal.
Some of the vandals torched police cars.
Most of the damage to buildings had been repaired by mid-morning. CTV Montreal's Rob Lurie said police estimated the total damage to be $500,000.
On Tuesday, storeowners were seen cleaning up their properties and restoring broken windows. One storeowner said the riot has left him "nervous" and "afraid."
Another business owner, Fadi Bachour, told CTV Montreal that his storefront was damaged both last night and in 1993.
"I find it a very barbarian way to celebrate this big event," he said. "For the 21st century, maybe not so barbarian like this?"
Bachour said he'll have to do more to provide security for his store, perhaps spending the night inside it the next time a series is decided.
Sixteen people were arrested, including three young offenders. Charges range from mischief and breaking and entering to assaulting a police officer.
Dave McIlroy spent the night in jail after police arrested him during the post-game celebrations.
"I was just screaming in the streets," he told CTV on Tuesday. "I might have been yelling a little loud, I certainly wasn't throwing anything at any windows or trashing any cars."
McIlroy, who was fined $75 for drunken loitering, said he didn't even know about all the destruction until he was released Tuesday.
"I would have had nothing to do with that, I'd rather go home," he said.
Lance Heffernan witnessed much of the violence from the McDonald's where he works. "As a person and a fan, I didn't like it. People acted foolish," he said.
In 1993, hooligans caused millions of dollars worth of damage following the Canadiens' Stanley Cup win. The same thing happened in 1986.
With files from CTV's Jed Kahane, Rob Lurie, Derek Conlon and Annie DeMelt