Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Nightmare on Granville St? Vancouver party-goers flout COVID-19 rules Halloween night

Social media posts showed downtown streets crowded with party-goers on Halloween night, apparently flouting COVID-19 safety protocols.
screenshot-reddit-granville-vancouver-halloween
Crowds pack the Granville Entertainment District in downtown Vancouver on Halloween night. Photo: Screenshot/Reddit

Vancouver police say they are disappointed after social media posts showed downtown streets crowded with party-goers on Halloween night, apparently flouting COVID-19 safety protocols.  

Spokesman Const. Jason Doucette says it wasn't possible to try to disperse the alcohol-fuelled crowd or issue tickets due to a number of factors. 

He says the number of people in downtown grew larger than expected and additional resources were brought in from around the city.

Doucette says police made a number of arrests for minor offences, such as causing a disturbance, but there were no reported injuries.

He says police likely won’t have a clear picture of calls for service on Halloween until later today.

On Thursday, B.C.'s chief medical officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, said the province was in a "danger zone" with more than 2,300 active cases of COVID-19 being reported. 

Granville Street right now from r/vancouver

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2020.