Crown refuses to press charges in riot case

Lawyers.

Typical.

Yep, we want them to charge people if there's insufficient evidence. Convict them too. We know they're guilty, we just know.

Exactly! Why charge someone who isn't guilty? That wouldn't be fair, would it?

It wouldn't and I don't want them flinging charges that have little likelihood of conviction. There's a lot of pressure on the crown to be tough here, they're not going to dismiss charges if they have a decent chance of conviction. But for that, there actually needs to be some solid evidence.

Andy where were you the night this was all going down? Got an alibi and some witnesses?

What happened to the video evidence?

Who says there is any in this particular case - or that the video shows anything chargeable? In other jurisdictions the cops would just lay charges. Then crown counsel would still decide whether to proceed or not, what's the likelihood of conviction. Police recommend charges all the time that crown turns down - I don't see the big deal here.

I was downtown, watching it on TV in horror and asking, along with everybody else, where are the cops, as the scene started to unfold. Burning cars, no cops. Then a 4 cops on horseback just sitting there. The cops had to go a long distance to get into their riot gear, because they did not expect a riot, so it took them forever to respond. Also they had not co-ordinated with other jurisdictions to have backup in place. It was a total fuck up.

Unfortunately we still live in a society of laws and one of those laws is that you're innocent until proven guilty.

So, if the crown is unwilling to lay charges on some rioters because of a lack of evidence, then we have to suck it up and live with it.

So, to avoid this problem. Next time Vancouver decides to have a riot may I be so bold as to suggest a large military presence, a banner reading, "disperse or you will be fired upon" a roll of white cotton tape to set the proverbial line in the sand and alot of live ammunition.

It worked for the Brits in Malay and trust me it'll work for the retarded rioters in Vancouver.

Maybe a little over the top. How about just politicians who want to not only take the glory but also fund it (Clark, Robertson) and a police chief and his minions who actually expect a riot (Chu at al) and keeps the riot gear handy near the site, and officers available in sufficient numbers to crack down as soon as something happens. To see cars burning for at least an hour before any real response from the cops is just sickening. To see cop cars burning without any significant response is even worse.

And of course the people of Vancouver, or more accurately Surrey, just isn't capable of having events like this.

Start with the last line first then maybe you might be on to something.