VANCOUVER – Five more people, including a South Asian man, have been charged in the Stanley Cup riot that tore through downtown Vancouver three years ago this month.
Tauseef Merchant is charged along with Conrad Vickerson, Arian Shamei, Dylan Toxopeus and Robert William Harrison. They have all been accused of joining the mayhem of the June 15, 2011 riots, the Criminal Justice Branch announced Friday.
All are charged with taking part in a riot as well as the following counts:
Vickerson – break and enter and commit an indictable offence
Merchant – mischief and arson
Shamei – mischief and two counts of break and enter and commit an indictable offence
Toxopeus – mischief, theft, break and enter and commit an indictable offence
Harrison – mischief and assault
The latest charges bring the total up to 880 criminal counts approved against 298 people. Police recommended charges against another 64 suspects but those counts weren’t approved by Crown.
In order for charges to be approved, Crown must determine there is a substantial likelihood of conviction and that prosecution is in the public interest.
Of those charged, 259 have entered guilty pleas. Five people fought the charges in court, but only one was successfully acquitted.
