No American flags allowed on Granville street? (no%20u.s.a%20flags%20allowed%20on%20granville%20street%3f.mp4)

WHAT IS UP WITH THAT???????????????????????????? AMERICA CAN COMPETE AGAINST CANADA.... BUT WE CAN'T CELEBRATE OF OWN COUNTRYMAN??  I GUESS THAT CANADA IS NOW A COMMUNIST COUNTRY.  HOW STUPID ARE WE AMERICANS. AND OH BY THE WAY.... THE FRENCH/CANADIANS ARE SUCH PUSSIES THAT THEY WOULDN'T EVEN FIGHT IN IRAQ OR AFGAN. WHAT A CROC!!!  I WAS IN CA AS A BABY... AND I WANTED TO VISIT THERE THIS SUMMER.  NO WAY....WELL I EVEN CONSIDER VISITING THAT  COUNTRY. OH BY THE WAY... THE CANADIANS LOVE OUR BEACHES (THE JERSEY SHORES) WE DON'T TELL THEM NOT NOT SHOW THEIR COLORS. MY SON IS IN IRAQ FIGHTING A  FREAKIN WAR.   AND THESE ASS HOLES WON'T ALLOW US TO SHOW OUR COLORS (WE ARE PROUD TO BE AMERICANS).  I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE A CANADIAN IF YOU PAID \ ME A MILLION DOLLARS.   THEY THINK THAT THEY ARE SO...  MUCH BETTER THEN AMERICA.  I THOUGHT THAT CELEBRATING THE OLYMPICS WAS A WORLDLY CELEBRATION. WHAT WAS I THINKING. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Marianmo,
Anyone who says the police were right to ask the guy to remove his flag misunderstand the importance of being able to express national pride. If they thought he was at risk, why not provide him with a security detail or a police escort? There were more than enough cops around that they could have spared a few boys to walk with him and keep him safe. Threatening him with arrest for non-compliance with their ridiculous orders just makes our police look authoritarian and petty.
This is not just the police being proactive, as you suggest. I saw it as the police abusing their authority. That is the job of a journalist - to report abuses of authority and keep those in power accountable. 

alia, 

First off, what is up with all the capital letters? It makes it sound like you are yelling. And more exclamation marks just makes you look a bit ignorant as well as indignant. 

Second, police misbehave all over the world. Some abuse their authority because they feel they can get away with it, some because they like the power trip, etc. I must say that while anger should (quite rightly, in my view) be directed at the police on this occasion, your vitrolic comments about Canada and Canadians in general, lumping us all into your narrow bizarre world view, is clearly misdirected and fosters more anamosity than understanding. But from your comments it is clear you are not interested in understanding, as that might take a bit more thought than you seem to have put into writing your post.  

How would you feel if a Canadian of African heritage refused to visit your country because of the Rodney King beating? Would he/she be justified in calling you and your fellow American citizens vulgar names? Would he/she be justified writing off the entire country? 

Even in the most remote places where I have travelled, people are very astute at separating the actions of governments and police from their views of the citizens of a country. Pakistanis, on the whole, do not hate Americans, though they do hate American foreign policy. Even though America funded El Salvadorian death squads to roam the country killing union leaders and activists, most El Salvadorians harbour no ill feelings towards Americans as people.

think about it, if you will: if all the people the American military has ever wronged in some way (probably most of the planet) applied the same twisted logic you have applied to this situation, then you can be sure most of the planet would hate you. Thank goodness that is not the case and most people are smarter than that. I won't say 'smarter than you,' because for all I know you could be quite intelligent. But I feel you are certainly not demonstrating that right now.

Good call by Vancouver Police who obviously want the young man to be safe from the risk of some drunken Canadian assaulting him. American flags are available on this street and seen frequently throughout the year but during a late night outpouring of partying sports fans ... common sense was used by the Police & the young man. I can go to NY or NJ and wave my Canadian flag proudly BEFORE & DURING a sports event but I'd pack it away AFTER :)