During the celebrations after Friday’s Canucks victory, among the joy and peaceful gathering, a phalanx of cops beat down a licensed busker. Apparently, he was ‘disturbing the peace’. In a mob of loud, celebrants in a moment of unrestrained civic joy. Right.
He’d heard rumours the Vancouver police didn’t want busking during the games, but nothing official had been said, he had his permits in order, the Canucks had won and the mood was good.
So why was he arrested in the middle of performing on Granville Street after Friday’s game?
Stokes said he was released without charges, but was told by police he was arrested for “disturbing the peace with a sub-clause of assaulting an officer.”
Fan video of the musician being shoved to the ground and cuffed was quickly posted on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y8bgorIoTc).
Stokes said the video shows he was doing nothing wrong at the time of the incident.
The musician, who goes by the name Un-1 and raps about peace and love, is hoping more fans will come forward with video so he can prove he was not assaulting, resisting or provoking the police officer before his arrest.
