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VPD urge charges against more accused rioters

Richmond, Burnaby and Surrey suspects among newest 25 cases in Vancouver 2011 Stanley Cup riot
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Vancouver Police Insp. Les Yeo holds a brick similar to the one that struck a VPD officer on the night of the riot.

Charges are being urged against another 25 suspected rioters for violent acts during the mayhem downtown that followed the Vancouver Canucks' defeat in last June's Stanley Cup final.

The additional 70 charges recommended by Vancouver Police must still be approved by prosecutors.

The VPD have now sought charges against a total of 125 accused rioters and 47 have actually been charged so far. One recommendation was rejected by Crown while the rest are under review.

"These are all serious criminal offences," Insp. Les Yeo said of the latest files forwarded to prosecutors.

In each case, he said, the suspected rioters either destroyed property, looted businesses, started fires or assaulted innocent bystanders.

"This is not about those who stood around and watched the riot," Yeo said.

More than 80 per cent of the suspects for whom charges are recommended are from outside Vancouver.

The 25 latest suspects police want charged include an 18-year-old from Richmond who tried to smash the windows of a police car before helping others to flip it.

A Burnaby 18-year-old tried first tried to smash a car's windshield then was seen stuffing a rag into the gas tank of a Hummer.

"To the disbelief of investigators, he approached onlookers for a lighter and tried to light this rag while the crowd stood around and watched," according to the VPD.

A 23-year-old from Surrey is also facing charges in the swarming assault of Robert Mackay, a Vancouver man who was badly beaten after trying to keep looters from entering a store.

The Surrey man, who faces two michief counts and charges of assault, participating in a riot and breach of an undertaking, was in violation of his bail conditions for a previous Surrey robbery at the time of the riot.

Three of six suspects who attacked Mackay have now been identified, Yeo said.

Three more people turned themselves in to police after their images were displayed on a revamped VPD riot website launched last month.

Yeo also requested public help in finding the rioter who threw a five-pound brick that hit and injured VPD Const. Mike Laurin outside SportChek on Howe Street on the night of the riot.

A video of the incident can be viewed at riot2011.vpd.ca.

Laurin received 14 stitches, a serious concussion and was off work three months.

"Somebody knows something," Yeo said. "Somebody was with that person and can tell us."