Why does the news say the Laker's fans looted, when it's thugs that loot.

Caused by lots and lots of alcohol. And stupidity.

People come out in droves to celebrate. Many have been drinking all game long. Celebration turns into mob rule in a very short period.

Simple really. Lakers fans = looters, looters = thugs, therefore….... Lakers fans = thugs.

Ah that’s sour grapes right there.

@shilolo Ah, logic prevails.

In Montreal, there are riots galore during the playoffs. Last year there was a riot after the Habs beat the Bruins and this year there were big fears of huge riots during the first series. In 1993 after the Habs won the cup, the riots destroyed hundreds of businesses’ property and destroyed millions of dollars worth of public property including cop cars, etc…

In Montreal, the city is hockey.

Seems like LAPD arested 25 people. The same small groups of people were the cause of the mini fires and what not. I was at Staples during the “riot” in 2000. Most of the people were simply happy and celebrating. A small amount of people were causing problems.

The thugs were Laker fans, but not all Laker fans are thugs, thank you very much.

Why is it only “thugs” that loot?

@boots bandit, bully, criminal, delinquent, gang member, gangster, hood, hooligan, punk, rioter, rowdy, ruffian, troublemaker call them what you will. When I lived there, I observed a celebration that “went bad” when several vans and pick-ups filled with looters showed up. Before that, the celebrants were simply dancing, drinking, and starting small container fires.

The looters overturned several cars to keep the cops out, and then broke out the windows of the most expensive stores, such as the TV and jewelry stores.

The fans, with their families, left as quickly as they could.

It’s a combination of factors. It’s what happens when you mix sports, crowds, assholes, and beer. The most operative factor is assholes. It’s usually only 1% of the crowd, but that can cause a lot of problems. In Europe and the east coast, its usually hooligan-drunks. In LA, its gangsters and gangster-wannabees (all acute forms of asshole. And let’s include their mothers and girlfriends in that adjective, too).