B.C. Premier Christy Clark says she plans to stick with her pledge to televise the trials of those accused in the Stanley Cup riot, despite fears of court delays.

Police announced Wednesday that 26 new charges have been approved against eight more people accused of participating in the chaos that spread through downtown Vancouver on June 15, bringing the total so far to 103 charges against 38 people.

In accordance with Clark's wishes, Crown prosecutors are applying for each of the trials to be broadcast, but each case requires a separate application. The first arguments for and against broadcasting will be made next month, and some lawyers are warning that the process could impact the trials.

"Every application slows things down," lawyer Bentley Doyle told CTV News.

"You're adding cameras, you're doing things that are adding costs at the wrong time - we don't have enough money, so why are we making it more complicated right now?"

Clark doesn't see it that way, and says televising the trials will bring transparency into the justice system.

"With the Bountiful case, the polygamy case, it was all broadcast live-streamed over the internet without any problem at all," she said.

"What we need to do is not just have open government, we need to have open courts."

New charges approved

The latest round of approved charges ranges from break and enter and mischief to assaulting a police officer. Of the eight newly-announced suspects, five are from Surrey.

The Integrated Riot Investigation Team has so far recommended 278 charges against 100 alleged rioters, but the majority have yet to be approved.

The latest to be charged are:

  • Eric Palmer, 26, Surrey: 1 count break and enter, 1 count participating in a riot
  • Duncan Yee, 20, Surrey: 1 count disguise with intent, 1 count break and enter
  • Sean Yates, 22, Burnaby: 1 count assaulting a police officer, 1 count participating in a riot
  • Joshua Pharand, 19, Chilliwack: 2 counts mischief, 1 count participating in a riot
  • Samia Ahmed, 18, Surrey: 2 counts break and enter, 1 count participating in a riot
  • Chelsea Anders, 18, Surrey: 1 count break and enter, 1 count participating in a riot
  • Arian Anwari, 18, Surrey: 1 count mischief,f 1 count carrying a weapon, 1 count participating in a riot
  • Timothy Lau, 21, Comox: 6 counts mischief, 2 counts break and enter, 1 count participating in a riot

Investigators have said that as many as 700 people could ultimately face charges, and that the investigation could take up to two years to complete.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Bhinder Sajan