Vancouver Riot Kiss

2011Viral photo / exploitable imageclassic

Also known as: Kissing Vancouver Couple · Vancouver Stanley Cup Riot Kiss · Love Among the Ruins

Vancouver Riot Kiss is a June 2011 photograph by Getty Images photojournalist Richard Lam of Australian Scott Jones kissing girlfriend Alexandra Thomas amid riot police, that became an exploitable image meme.

The Vancouver Riot Kiss is a photograph taken on June 15, 2011, showing a couple lying on the ground kissing in the middle of a street while riot police marched past them during the Vancouver Stanley Cup riot5. Shot by photojournalist Richard Lam for Getty Images, the image of Australian Scott Jones consoling his girlfriend Alexandra Thomas after they were knocked down by police became a worldwide viral sensation within hours7. The photo quickly spawned an exploitable meme format, with Photoshop users placing the kissing couple into famous historical scenes, movie stills, and other iconic images2.

viral photo memesexploitable templatesaccidental fame memessports riot memes

Overview

The Vancouver Riot Kiss shows two people lying on a street in downtown Vancouver, seemingly locked in a passionate kiss while riot police in full gear walk away from them in the background. Fire, tear gas, and chaos filled the surrounding blocks. The contrast between the intimate moment and the violent backdrop made the image instantly striking and shareable. Richard Lam, working as a freelance photojournalist for Getty Images, captured the shot from about 20 to 30 yards away7. He initially thought one of the people was hurt5.

The couple was identified as Scott Jones, an Australian who had been living and working in Vancouver for six months, and his Canadian girlfriend Alexandra Thomas1. Despite early speculation that the kiss was staged or potentially something more sinister, the real story turned out to be simpler: they had been knocked down by a police charge while trying to leave the area, and Jones kissed Thomas to calm her down as she shook with fear1.

The photo was taken on the night of June 15, 2011, minutes after the Vancouver Canucks lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Boston Bruins by a score of 4-01. Riots erupted in downtown Vancouver, with rioters setting cars on fire, looting stores, and clashing with police who deployed tear gas to clear the streets7.

Jones and Thomas had watched the game at a friend's house in downtown Vancouver1. As reports of vandalism came in, Jones suggested they check it out. "Being a bit of a tourist, I thought it would be a good idea to check it out," Jones later recalled1. They didn't realize how fast the situation would deteriorate. Police cordoned off the area and began clearing streets with tear gas and shield charges1.

"A row of policemen knocked us down, and then two with shields came and kicked us and tried to get us away," Jones said1. Thomas hit the ground hard, ending up with scraped knees, bruises, and blood on her clothes1. She was shaking from fear and adrenaline. Jones kissed her to reassure her. She wrapped her arm around his neck, their legs intertwined1.

Lam was being buffeted by rioters and riot police when he spotted the couple in the empty space behind the police line7. "Initially I thought one of them was hurt," he told The Guardian7. He took a few shots and moved on. It wasn't until he returned to file his photos that his editor pointed out the couple wasn't hurt but kissing10. "My jaw dropped," Lam told the Sydney Morning Herald5.

Origin & Background

Platform
Getty Images (source photo), Twitter / blogs (viral spread)
Key People
Richard Lam, Scott Jones, Alexandra Thomas
Date
2011

The photo was taken on the night of June 15, 2011, minutes after the Vancouver Canucks lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Boston Bruins by a score of 4-0. Riots erupted in downtown Vancouver, with rioters setting cars on fire, looting stores, and clashing with police who deployed tear gas to clear the streets.

Jones and Thomas had watched the game at a friend's house in downtown Vancouver. As reports of vandalism came in, Jones suggested they check it out. "Being a bit of a tourist, I thought it would be a good idea to check it out," Jones later recalled. They didn't realize how fast the situation would deteriorate. Police cordoned off the area and began clearing streets with tear gas and shield charges.

"A row of policemen knocked us down, and then two with shields came and kicked us and tried to get us away," Jones said. Thomas hit the ground hard, ending up with scraped knees, bruises, and blood on her clothes. She was shaking from fear and adrenaline. Jones kissed her to reassure her. She wrapped her arm around his neck, their legs intertwined.

Lam was being buffeted by rioters and riot police when he spotted the couple in the empty space behind the police line. "Initially I thought one of them was hurt," he told The Guardian. He took a few shots and moved on. It wasn't until he returned to file his photos that his editor pointed out the couple wasn't hurt but kissing. "My jaw dropped," Lam told the Sydney Morning Herald.

How It Spread

The photo spread at blistering speed. Esquire's politics blog was among the first outlets to publish the image on the morning of June 16. CBC News tweeted asking for help identifying the couple by 10 a.m. that same day. HuffPost reported that a Twitter user named Gerrard Trojillo appeared to be the first to tweet the image with the hashtag #canucksriot.

"Vancouver Riot Kiss" trended high on Google Insights within a day. Canadian media raced to identify the couple, while international outlets from The Guardian to ABC Australia picked up the story. The couple was identified by June 17 as Scott Jones and Alexandra Thomas.

Controversy followed the virality. An overhead photo posted on Twitter showed the couple surrounded by several other men, leading The Atlantic to write that "without the context of romance, the above photo could be seen as a group of guys taking advantage of an incapacitated woman". A sports writer tweeted concerns about whether the woman was "alert and willing". Others suggested the photo was staged to mimic Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous 1945 V-J Day in Times Square photograph of a sailor kissing a nurse. Mashable noted this visual similarity. Lam maintained the shot was spontaneous.

The meme format took off almost immediately. Photoshop users began cutting the couple out of the original image and dropping them into other photographs. ABC Technology published an "exploitable" cutout image for readers to use. Deadspin invited readers to place the couple into "other seminal moments in time". Bleacher Report compiled a roundup of the best edits. Yahoo News Canada compared it to recent photo-mashup sensations like the Osama bin Laden Situation Room picture, Princess Beatrice's royal wedding hat, and the "Stop Harper" sign.

How to Use This Meme

The Vancouver Riot Kiss meme typically follows the exploitable photo format:

1

Take the cutout of Jones and Thomas lying on the ground kissing

2

Place them into a different photograph, usually an iconic historical image, a famous movie scene, or an absurd everyday setting

3

The humor comes from the contrast between the couple's intimate moment and the new context

Cultural Impact

The photograph drew comparisons to two of history's most famous kiss images. The V-J Day in Times Square photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt, showing a sailor grabbing and kissing a stranger on August 14, 1945, was the most common parallel. Robert Doisneau's staged 1950 photograph *Kiss by the Hotel de Ville* in Paris was also cited.

Jones' father posted on Facebook: "This is my Son how's that for making love not war!". The quip itself went viral as a screenshot.

The image forced Jones and Thomas into an unwelcome spotlight. They had to appear on international television to tell their real story and combat staged-photo allegations and "horror stories" circulating online. They described the experience as a mix of "momentary glory and shame".

Ten years later, in 2021, Jones and Thomas were still together, living in Perth, Australia, with a three-year-old daughter named Amy. "We didn't know what it meant to go viral or anything like that," Thomas said. "It was a little strange that people were interested".

Fun Facts

Lam didn't review the photo until a colleague said "nice photo" while they were still in the field. He had been too focused on not getting hurt during the riot.

The 2011 Vancouver riot was a repeat of history. The last time the Canucks lost a Stanley Cup Final, in 1994 against the New York Rangers, downtown damage from rioting exceeded 1.1 million Canadian dollars.

The 2011 series between the Canucks and Bruins was intensely physical. Vancouver's Alexander Burrows bit Boston center Patrice Bergeron's finger in Game 1.

Nearly 150 people required hospital treatment from the 2011 riot, including three stabbing victims. One man was in critical condition after falling from a viaduct.

Police Chief Jim Chu said some rioters "came equipped with masks, goggles and gasoline" and identified several as the same people who caused trouble during the 2010 Winter Olympics opening.

Derivatives & Variations

Tiananmen Square edit:

The couple placed next to the column of tanks from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, one of the earliest and most shared versions[2]

V-J Day Times Square mashup:

The couple inserted into the background of Eisenstaedt's iconic sailor-nurse kiss photograph[2]

George Orwell's *1984* cover:

A mock book cover featuring the couple, playing on themes of love versus authoritarian control[2]

Star Wars lightsaber edit:

The couple kissing while a lightsaber nears their legs, referencing a Jedi mind trick joke[3]

O.J. Simpson chase edit:

The couple placed in the lane next to O.J.'s fleeing Bronco[3]

From Here to Eternity beach scene:

ABC Tech created a mashup referencing the classic film's beach kiss[2]

Bondi Beach relocation:

A nod to Jones' Australian roots, moving the couple to the famous Sydney beach[2]

Frequently Asked Questions

References (15)

  1. 1
    Catching up with the Vancouver Stanley Cup riot ‘kissing couple,’ 10 years later – ideasforeurope.comarticle
  2. 2
    Vancouver Riot Kiss becomes internet meme – Features – ABC Technology and Games (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)article
  3. 3
    The Best "Vancouver Riot Kiss" Memes on the Internet (with Originals)article
  4. 4
    List of Internet phenomenaencyclopedia
  5. 5
    V-J Day in Times Square - Wikipediaencyclopedia
  6. 6
    'Love among the ruins': mystery kiss picture during Vancouver riot goes viralarticle
  7. 7
    Vancouver riot kiss becomes latest photo meme - Yahoo News Canadaarticle
  8. 8
    News and Politics - Breaking Newsarticle
  9. 9
    News & Analysis | Yahoo News Canadaarticle
  10. 10
    World Edition - The Atlanticarticle
  11. 11
    Vancouver riot 'kiss' photograph sparks mystery | Canada | The Guardianarticle
  12. 12
    Vancouver Riots 2011: Couple Kisses During Chaos (PHOTO) | HuffPost Sportsarticle
  13. 13
    Breaking News - Headlines & Top Stories | The Stararticle
  14. 14
    Deadspin | Amorous Rioters Sex Up The Last Supper, Other Seminal Moments In Timearticle
  15. 15
    Kissing Vancouver Couple Is a Meme in the Making | Mashablearticle

Vancouver Riot Kiss

2011Viral photo / exploitable imageclassic

Also known as: Kissing Vancouver Couple · Vancouver Stanley Cup Riot Kiss · Love Among the Ruins

Vancouver Riot Kiss is a June 2011 photograph by Getty Images photojournalist Richard Lam of Australian Scott Jones kissing girlfriend Alexandra Thomas amid riot police, that became an exploitable image meme.

The Vancouver Riot Kiss is a photograph taken on June 15, 2011, showing a couple lying on the ground kissing in the middle of a street while riot police marched past them during the Vancouver Stanley Cup riot. Shot by photojournalist Richard Lam for Getty Images, the image of Australian Scott Jones consoling his girlfriend Alexandra Thomas after they were knocked down by police became a worldwide viral sensation within hours. The photo quickly spawned an exploitable meme format, with Photoshop users placing the kissing couple into famous historical scenes, movie stills, and other iconic images.

viral photo memes exploitable templates accidental fame memes sports riot memes

Overview

The Vancouver Riot Kiss shows two people lying on a street in downtown Vancouver, seemingly locked in a passionate kiss while riot police in full gear walk away from them in the background. Fire, tear gas, and chaos filled the surrounding blocks. The contrast between the intimate moment and the violent backdrop made the image instantly striking and shareable. Richard Lam, working as a freelance photojournalist for Getty Images, captured the shot from about 20 to 30 yards away. He initially thought one of the people was hurt.

The couple was identified as Scott Jones, an Australian who had been living and working in Vancouver for six months, and his Canadian girlfriend Alexandra Thomas. Despite early speculation that the kiss was staged or potentially something more sinister, the real story turned out to be simpler: they had been knocked down by a police charge while trying to leave the area, and Jones kissed Thomas to calm her down as she shook with fear.

The photo was taken on the night of June 15, 2011, minutes after the Vancouver Canucks lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Boston Bruins by a score of 4-0. Riots erupted in downtown Vancouver, with rioters setting cars on fire, looting stores, and clashing with police who deployed tear gas to clear the streets.

Jones and Thomas had watched the game at a friend's house in downtown Vancouver. As reports of vandalism came in, Jones suggested they check it out. "Being a bit of a tourist, I thought it would be a good idea to check it out," Jones later recalled. They didn't realize how fast the situation would deteriorate. Police cordoned off the area and began clearing streets with tear gas and shield charges.

"A row of policemen knocked us down, and then two with shields came and kicked us and tried to get us away," Jones said. Thomas hit the ground hard, ending up with scraped knees, bruises, and blood on her clothes. She was shaking from fear and adrenaline. Jones kissed her to reassure her. She wrapped her arm around his neck, their legs intertwined.

Lam was being buffeted by rioters and riot police when he spotted the couple in the empty space behind the police line. "Initially I thought one of them was hurt," he told The Guardian. He took a few shots and moved on. It wasn't until he returned to file his photos that his editor pointed out the couple wasn't hurt but kissing. "My jaw dropped," Lam told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Origin & Background

Platform
Getty Images (source photo), Twitter / blogs (viral spread)
Key People
Richard Lam, Scott Jones, Alexandra Thomas
Date
2011

The photo was taken on the night of June 15, 2011, minutes after the Vancouver Canucks lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Boston Bruins by a score of 4-0. Riots erupted in downtown Vancouver, with rioters setting cars on fire, looting stores, and clashing with police who deployed tear gas to clear the streets.

Jones and Thomas had watched the game at a friend's house in downtown Vancouver. As reports of vandalism came in, Jones suggested they check it out. "Being a bit of a tourist, I thought it would be a good idea to check it out," Jones later recalled. They didn't realize how fast the situation would deteriorate. Police cordoned off the area and began clearing streets with tear gas and shield charges.

"A row of policemen knocked us down, and then two with shields came and kicked us and tried to get us away," Jones said. Thomas hit the ground hard, ending up with scraped knees, bruises, and blood on her clothes. She was shaking from fear and adrenaline. Jones kissed her to reassure her. She wrapped her arm around his neck, their legs intertwined.

Lam was being buffeted by rioters and riot police when he spotted the couple in the empty space behind the police line. "Initially I thought one of them was hurt," he told The Guardian. He took a few shots and moved on. It wasn't until he returned to file his photos that his editor pointed out the couple wasn't hurt but kissing. "My jaw dropped," Lam told the Sydney Morning Herald.

How It Spread

The photo spread at blistering speed. Esquire's politics blog was among the first outlets to publish the image on the morning of June 16. CBC News tweeted asking for help identifying the couple by 10 a.m. that same day. HuffPost reported that a Twitter user named Gerrard Trojillo appeared to be the first to tweet the image with the hashtag #canucksriot.

"Vancouver Riot Kiss" trended high on Google Insights within a day. Canadian media raced to identify the couple, while international outlets from The Guardian to ABC Australia picked up the story. The couple was identified by June 17 as Scott Jones and Alexandra Thomas.

Controversy followed the virality. An overhead photo posted on Twitter showed the couple surrounded by several other men, leading The Atlantic to write that "without the context of romance, the above photo could be seen as a group of guys taking advantage of an incapacitated woman". A sports writer tweeted concerns about whether the woman was "alert and willing". Others suggested the photo was staged to mimic Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous 1945 V-J Day in Times Square photograph of a sailor kissing a nurse. Mashable noted this visual similarity. Lam maintained the shot was spontaneous.

The meme format took off almost immediately. Photoshop users began cutting the couple out of the original image and dropping them into other photographs. ABC Technology published an "exploitable" cutout image for readers to use. Deadspin invited readers to place the couple into "other seminal moments in time". Bleacher Report compiled a roundup of the best edits. Yahoo News Canada compared it to recent photo-mashup sensations like the Osama bin Laden Situation Room picture, Princess Beatrice's royal wedding hat, and the "Stop Harper" sign.

How to Use This Meme

The Vancouver Riot Kiss meme typically follows the exploitable photo format:

1

Take the cutout of Jones and Thomas lying on the ground kissing

2

Place them into a different photograph, usually an iconic historical image, a famous movie scene, or an absurd everyday setting

3

The humor comes from the contrast between the couple's intimate moment and the new context

Cultural Impact

The photograph drew comparisons to two of history's most famous kiss images. The V-J Day in Times Square photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt, showing a sailor grabbing and kissing a stranger on August 14, 1945, was the most common parallel. Robert Doisneau's staged 1950 photograph *Kiss by the Hotel de Ville* in Paris was also cited.

Jones' father posted on Facebook: "This is my Son how's that for making love not war!". The quip itself went viral as a screenshot.

The image forced Jones and Thomas into an unwelcome spotlight. They had to appear on international television to tell their real story and combat staged-photo allegations and "horror stories" circulating online. They described the experience as a mix of "momentary glory and shame".

Ten years later, in 2021, Jones and Thomas were still together, living in Perth, Australia, with a three-year-old daughter named Amy. "We didn't know what it meant to go viral or anything like that," Thomas said. "It was a little strange that people were interested".

Fun Facts

Lam didn't review the photo until a colleague said "nice photo" while they were still in the field. He had been too focused on not getting hurt during the riot.

The 2011 Vancouver riot was a repeat of history. The last time the Canucks lost a Stanley Cup Final, in 1994 against the New York Rangers, downtown damage from rioting exceeded 1.1 million Canadian dollars.

The 2011 series between the Canucks and Bruins was intensely physical. Vancouver's Alexander Burrows bit Boston center Patrice Bergeron's finger in Game 1.

Nearly 150 people required hospital treatment from the 2011 riot, including three stabbing victims. One man was in critical condition after falling from a viaduct.

Police Chief Jim Chu said some rioters "came equipped with masks, goggles and gasoline" and identified several as the same people who caused trouble during the 2010 Winter Olympics opening.

Derivatives & Variations

Tiananmen Square edit:

The couple placed next to the column of tanks from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, one of the earliest and most shared versions[2]

V-J Day Times Square mashup:

The couple inserted into the background of Eisenstaedt's iconic sailor-nurse kiss photograph[2]

George Orwell's *1984* cover:

A mock book cover featuring the couple, playing on themes of love versus authoritarian control[2]

Star Wars lightsaber edit:

The couple kissing while a lightsaber nears their legs, referencing a Jedi mind trick joke[3]

O.J. Simpson chase edit:

The couple placed in the lane next to O.J.'s fleeing Bronco[3]

From Here to Eternity beach scene:

ABC Tech created a mashup referencing the classic film's beach kiss[2]

Bondi Beach relocation:

A nod to Jones' Australian roots, moving the couple to the famous Sydney beach[2]

Frequently Asked Questions