Share[<a href="https://storify.com/theglobeandmail/bieber-love-sparks-online-lynching" target="_blank">View the story "Bieber love sparks online lynching" on Storify</a>]<h1>Bieber love sparks online lynching</h1><h2>A Justin Bieber fan draws the ire of Canucks Nation after defacing Rick Rypien memorial</h2><p>Storified by The Globe and Mail · Thu, Oct 11 2012 13:17:25</p><div><p>A message of adoration scrawled on to a concrete column outsidea Justin Bieber concert sparked an online lynching Wednesday when it wasdiscovered the author had defaced a makeshift memorial dedicated to late CanuckRick Rypien. </p><p> </p><p>While roughly a dozen Beliebers had taken Sharpie to concrete toexpress their impotent emotions, one person in particular received the bulk ofonline hate, as she apparently made the unfortunate mistake of signing her notewith her full name.<br><br></p><p></p><p>Soon after, photos began circulating online showing the message scrawled outside Rogers Arena,written over a faded “RYPPER” and above another scribbling thanking Mr. Rypienfor his inspiration.</p><p></p></div><div>Leave it to @justinbieber fans to deface a hockey player's memorial. #riprypien @SIMRAN_MANN_ https://pic.twitter.com/c32Jv2G4Kyle Coman</div><div>Mr. Rypien took his own life in August 2011 after a long struggle with depression. In his memory, the Canucks launched <a href="https://Mindcheck.ca" class="">Mindcheck.ca</a>, a website to help young people learn more about mental illness and connect to resources, if needed. <br></div><div>Some responses to the offending message were level-headed:<br><br></div><div>Simran Mann owes Rick Rypien's family and his former teammates an apology for vandalizing his memorial.Farah Rizvi</div><div>It disgusts me to know that Justin Bieber fans would vandalize a Rick Rypien memorial.Abdullah Panchbhaya</div><div>Quite disappointed in the people who de-faced the rick rypien memorial wall at rogers arena....i hope you feel guiltyCandice</div><div>I can't even ... Wow. Simran Mann. How could she disrespect Rick Rypien because of a Justin Bieber concert? Freaking unreal. Grow up. #37RYPAyesha Barlas</div><div>Some were amusing:<br></div><div>I honestly think Simran Mann should at least be spoken to by police. You dont see us writing about how much we hate Bettmann on Bieb's car.Alexandra Ransford</div><div>What is concerning, however, is the online lynching that followed. A couple of Twitter handles believed to have belonged to the Bieber fan in question were soon bombarded with hateful messages. Some threatened physical violence; some went as far as to tell her to kill herself. One of the Twitter accounts, believed to be the author's, was deleted.<br><br></div><div>Not defending "Simran Mann" (I'd still knock her teeth out) BUT I'm sure it was ignorance; not disrespect.Hala Salameh</div><div><br><br>Some cooler heads did prevail, reminding the gang that threats were not the answer:<br></div><div>#Vancouver: while Simran Mann made a serious, disrespectful mistake, don't call her hateful names. #StayClassy #RIPRypienDominique Gelineau</div><div>This Simran Mann girl what she did was a mistake but people shouldn't be giving her threats that just makes us Canucks fans look badjashan mangat</div><div>Would Rick Rypien really like his fans going ape shit over some Beiber fan? No need for threats. #Growup #IdiotsCDG</div><div>And know that above all this, I believe Rick Rypien would stand up against ALL forms of bullying.Baw-nee</div><div>Whats worse thn #Bieber graffiti on #Ryp wall? Those making threats. Do u really think #Rypien would want you to #bully those girls?Benjamin Lo</div><div>On Thursday – which would have been the start of the NHL's regular season – at least one person had made an effort to remove the offending messages. A bottle of nail polish sat next to the concrete column, white splashes left behind from apparent efforts to scrub away the Bieber love. Some of the messages to Mr. Rypien were also damaged as a result of the attempted clean-up.<br></div><div>Was going to head down to the Ryp memorial, but it looks like somebody has already washed it off. Thank you to whoever it was <3 xoAlexandra Ransford</div><div>WHAT IF RICK RYPIEN WAS A JUSTIN BIEBER FAN?!Canucks Buzz</div><div>Not sure what's sadder: Rypien's Memorial vandalizm, everyone's response to it, or that I know more about Bieber than Rypien.Nathaniel Barr</div><div>Thank you to the man that headed out early this morning to clean up the #Rypien memorial wall. We are all Canucks <3!Ashley Francke</div>