"Grossly outnumbered [we] stood to fight." A Vancouver Police Officer's Response to Vancouver Rioter's YouTube Apologies

On June 15, the Boston Bruins beat the Vancouver Canucks to win the NHL Finals and the Stanley Cup. The residents of Vancouver did not take it well, taking to the streets in what soon became a full-blown riot full of burning and overturned cars, destroyed stores and far too many innocents left wounded. Some of the rioters are now taking to YouTube to apologize. Certain police officers aren't appreciating those apologies. We'll get to those momentarily.

It was further evidence of how remarkably capable we are of darkness, disturbing that YouTube commenters wrote, "Humans are disgusting." But in the madness there also rose proof of our equally great capacity for good. It was dwarfed by the darkness. It always is. But there was light. 

There were the store owners who bravely stood against the rioters, even though it cost them their blood. (Not for the tender of heart.)

There were the men with enough sense and guts to dare stand against the crowd, men who must have had angels watching over them, for that's the only way I can explain how they go unscathed. (Skip to 2:00 mark.)

There was, of course, The Kissing Couple. 

And there were the defenders, the ones with the worst job of all, the ones who had to put on police uniforms and go "grossly outnumbered" to battle a crowd of mindless idiots gone out of control.

Some of the rioters are taking to YouTube to apologize for it. Some of their videos are below. After them, what a police officer who was on the frontlines that fateful night wrote back to the remorseful YouTubers. 

I found it interesting, and figured you might too, and I hope we can talk about it in the comments. 

Dear 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup Rioters,

Please stop saying you’re sorry. Stop posting YouTube videos begging for forgiveness. Stop writing letters asking that society cut you some slack and leave you alone.

While you were drunk and flipping cars, I was driving with all of my emergency equipment on to get into Vancouver. While you were throwing anything you could get your hands on at the police, I was pressure testing my APR and standing in the middle of the tear gas. While you and thousands of others disgraced Vancouver and its surrounding population, I stood shoulder to shoulder with a couple hundred men and women, whom I trust my life with, ready to address your indiscretions.

You came up to me like you owned the streets in your drunken stupor, thrust your middle fingers in my face and shouted obscenities; I didn’t snap you in half.

Actions speak louder than words.

You started “harmless” fires. You torched other men and women’s cars whom you’d never met and never did you wrong. You assaulted firemen as they arrived to try and deal with your “mistakes”. You took limited, valuable emergency resources away from good people who needed them. You endangered more lives by tying up emergency services than you ever considered.

You started fights. You stabbed people you’d never met because they somehow made you angry. You gave men and women trying to protect property life altering concussions. You brought paramedics into the tear gas and exhausted them trying to save people they’d never met.

You showed up to hospital emergency rooms crying because you’d been exposed to tear gas. You got obnoxious and demanded to be treated like you were somehow dying. You knew it was a riot, you chose not to leave, you chose to stick around and breathe the tear gas in. You took nurses and doctors away from people who needed their care to live. People they’d never met but work tirelessly to save. You demanded to be treated as if you were better than the rest of society.

You’d tell me that the emergency services personnel I speak of are paid to do this job and chose to be there. You’re right. We give a damn about people we’ve never met and property that isn’t ours, that’s why we do what we do. You disgust us.

What brought a tear to my eye, after the gas had cleared, was standing in the middle of an intersection at about 3 a.m. the only people I’d seen for the last 30 minutes were other police officers, until a shop keeper brought us a case of water. Then I saw a random person with a broom clearing the sidewalk. I had a duty to respond, the citizens of Vancouver immediately afterward could have just left it up to those paid to deal with it. They didn’t just stand by, they came out in force and cleaned up after your indiscretions. Everyone I saw that early morning thanked me, I was only doing my job. I have the utmost respect for all of the people from Vancouver and the surrounding areas that came downtown and volunteered to clean up after you.

You owe Vancouver and the surrounding population more than mere words. Don’t you dare ask for our forgiveness without taking responsibility. You can’t fix life altering injuries with an “I’m Sorry”. You can’t repay someone’s car loan with a YouTube video. You ask that people leave you and your family alone but you offer no way to replace priceless losses.

You’ll sleep soundly in your bed tonight because men and women like me will always be there to deal with your poor choices. You have no idea how fortunate you are, even after we arrest and charge you. Even though you disgust me, if you call for me in the middle of the night I’ll respond. I’ll protect your life and property because it’s right and it’s what I do.

The evening of June 15, 2011 fellow emergency services personnel, my brothers and sisters, left our families at home and while grossly out numbered stood to fight. The morning of June 16, 2011 the true heroes emerged to volunteer their time and restored my faith in humanity.

Actions speak louder than words. What are you going to do about that?

— a police officer from the suburbs, who was called in to serve and protect on that night; a proud Vancouverite.

What do you think? Is a verbal apology enough? Or is the police officer right?