Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Sports News

Olympic protests turn violent in Vancouver

|
|
 
  
The Olympic flag is raised during the opening ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada on February 12, 2010. UPI/Pat Benic 
License photo
Published: Feb. 14, 2010 at 11:24 AM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Police in Vancouver, British Columbia, say more than 200 anti-Olympic protesters damaged businesses and vehicles in the western Canadian city.

Vancouver police said the masked protesters also threw objects at police officers during Saturday's Olympics Resistance Network protest, which resulted in seven people being arrested, the Canwest News Service reported.

The Olympics Resistance Network said in a release the protest was in opposition to capitalism and was intended to disrupt the start of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

Police and protesters also clashed Friday following the official opening of the Games, prompting Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell to speak out against violence used in such demonstrations.

"I'm really disappointed there was violence and disrespect shown by protesters. I think all in Vancouver expect there will be peaceful protests and a few individuals crossed that line," Robertson said.

"Now is a time for celebration. Now is a time to try and lift Canada up," Campbell offered.

"And frankly, I think the protesters are self-centered and selfish and in many cases cowardly."

Topics: Gregor Robertson
Recommended Stories
© 2010 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Linsanity The Daytona 500 Cheerleaders of 2012
Additional Sports News Stories
1 of 27
Snigdha Nandipati of San Diego wins Finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee
View Caption
Snigdha Nandipati of San Diego, California watches confetti rain down as she wins the two-day Scripps National Spelling Bee championship, May 31, 2012, in National Harbor, Maryland. Nandipati successfully spelled the word .* guetapens *, meaning to lure or ambush. UPI/Mike Theiler
fark
"Geberin caught up with the teen, grabbed her by her hair as she said she loved her and then began...
Principal/School Board to Teacher: Stop giving zeros to students who don't hand in assignments or...
What do people hate most about waiting in a queue? It's not the length of the wait, it's something...
Photoshop theme: Remote controls for things that don't need controlling
Sacramento Fark Party, THIS SATURDAY June 2nd 7:00pm Streets of London
The CDC has officially declared that no zombie outbreak is underway. "Itchy, tasty," a spokesman...