Скачать или смотреть The Vancouver Gastown Riot Origins and Aftermath

Vancouver’s historic origin is the convergence of Water, Powell, Alexander and Carrall Streets. The juncture of these four roadways is called Maple Tree Square and also the Gastown District. It has remained one of the city’s nightlife hang out spots and the center for protest during August of 1971. The Gastown Riot began as a simple cannabis smoke-in organized by the local Youth International Party, then better known as the Yippies.

On Saturday night, August 7th, an assemblage of 100 pot smokers gathered to protest exiting drug laws. The district senior police officer in charge ordered the participants to disburse, which they simply ignored. Soon a mounted police force on horseback escalated the confrontation by striking participants and spectators with batons. Participants responded by throwing bottles. By the following morning, the bedlam and violence increased to 2,000 participants. Seventy-nine individuals would be arrested and nearly half charged with various infractions. The conflict ultimately resulted in Vancouver Mayor Campbell, formerly popular, to decline to run for office the following year.