Anti-2010 vandals hit Ottawa Royal Bank

Anti-2010 vandals hit Ottawa Royal Bank

By BOB MACKIN, 24 HOURS
[Vancouver, Canada – Feb 6, 2008]

Anti-Olympics vandals have expanded their campaign against VANOC’s official bank and torch relay co-sponsor.

An anonymous message on no2010.com said “bricks found their way through the windows of the Elgin Street Royal Bank” in Ottawa on the night of Jan. 27. “The Olympics are set to happen in the year 2010, and we thus declare war on all the year represents and all who sponsor it!”

A Vancouver 2010 countdown clock was unveiled yesterday afternoon across from Parliament Hill.

RBC spokesman John Groves said the latest incidents were reported to police, but wouldn’t discuss what measures the bank employs to keep customers and staff safe.

The Ottawa attack came just over a month after four windows were smashed on Christmas Eve at a Cook Street Royal Bank in Victoria. Vancouver vandals broke windows Dec. 8 at Commercial and First and Dec. 9 at Hastings and Nanaimo. A no2010.com message about the latter attack, in the form of a phony news release, misappropriated Groves’ name.

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2010 Olympic foes targeting Olympic sponsor

By BOB MACKIN, 24 HOURS
[Vancouver, Canada – Dec 11, 2007]

Anarchists are targeting the 2010 Winter Olympics official bank with a campaign of vandalism.

A “small group of anarchists” damaged windows of the Royal Bank of Canada branch at Hastings and Nanaimo with “fist-sized stones” on Sept. 29, according to an anonymous message on no2010.com. “Exceptionally large pieces of pavement” were hurled through windows on Dec. 8 at the Commercial and First branch, according to an anonymous posting on the U.S. anarchist blog infoshop.org.

Both messages contained seething opposition to the 2010 Games and capitalism in general. The newest posting listed 12 Vancouver branches and one in North Vancouver as targets for future vandalism.

“A gold medal will be given for the most damage at a single location,” said the message.

RBC spokesman John Groves confirmed yesterday that the night-time incidents took place, as described on the blogs.

“We certainly respect the right of people to express their opinions as long as it’s done in a peaceful, respectful manner,” Groves said. “We’d like all our clients and all people who visit RBC branches to feel safe and we’re going to do everything we can to ensure that they do.”

Groves said the incidents were reported yesterday to Vancouver Police. In 2005, RBC pledged $110 million in cash and services to become VANOC’s official bank.