May Day Riots of 1894 and 1919
On May 1st, this is known as May Day, or International Workers Day. International Workers Day is a celebration of labor and mostly has street demonstrations and marches following it. It is also a national holiday in more than 80 countries. It’s also known for Haymarket Massacre of 1886 in Chicago, where someone threw a bomb at the police after a public meeting. The police then fired on workers at the meeting, killing several of them and several police officers from friendly fire.
A lot of riots happened on that day. The first was on May 1st, in 1894, in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland’s unemployment rate was increasing, mostly during the Panic of 1893. Riots broke out, including several violent demonstrations among the unemployed. This condemned city leaders because of their ineffective measures of relief.
Then, in 1904, the International Socialist Conference met in Amsterdam, calling on all trade unions and Social Democratic Party organizations to energetically participate in the legal establishment of an eight hour day. And Congress made that possible for no work to be on that day. Workers in all countries tried to make that happen in their countries and they succeeded. It was an official holiday, which includes demonstrations by socialist, communist and anarchist groups. And bonfires are lit for the Haymarket Massacre in commemoration.
Then, May 1st, 1919, more violent demonstrations in Cleveland, Ohio occurred. The riots all started when Socialist leader, Charles Ruthenburg organized a local trade. It included unionists, socialists, communists, and anarchists. They were protesting the jailing of Eugene V. Debs. His court trial was held in Cleveland the previous year.
They marched to the public square and were asked to stop by a group of people called the Victory Loan Workers. They had been carrying flags when they were divided into four groups. They each carried Socialist flags and the American flag. They refused and fights broke out between them and the Victory Loan Workers. Chaos spread quickly and Ruthenberg’s headquarters were ransacked by a mob.
Finally, police officers showed up, as did army trucks and tanks. 166 people were arrested, forty were injured and two were killed. Of those arrested, Ruthenberg was one of them and it was said he was charged with “assault with intent to kill”. Among those people, only eight of them arrested were born in the United States. Because of the riot, the city’s government passed laws to restrict parades and the red flags.
It was the most violent disorder in United States history. In 2010, on May 1st, thousands of people over the world were in the streets for the annual demonstrations. They were demanding better working conditions. Its usually peaceful protests, but not in Athens, Greece, 12,000 people were in the streets. They were carrying red flags and surging to toward the police on the scene.
The police had riot shields and helmets. Injuries and arrests had occurred. ATM’s were ruined and so was a satellite car which was torched. Also, the glass of a bank and car were ruined. In Russia, 900 people in different cities and towns participated on May 1st.
The largest gatherings mostly took place in Krasnodar, Yakutsk, Vladivostok, Izhevsk, Moscow and St. Petersburg. They wanted decent salaries and stable employment. In Turkey, tens of thousands of people and political activists met for the first celebration officially of May Day. It was in Taksim Square in Istanbul for the first time in 30 years. In Germany, protesters clashed with the police and were instantly arrested in Hamburg.
Seventeen police officers were injured when they confronted the protesters who were throwing rocks and setting garbage cans on fire. In Cuba, people marched through Revolution Plaza in Havana. The crowds are usually very big, and their government stated the turnout they had was the people saying the country was unified and they support the leaders. Also, several cities in the United States protested against the Arizona’s controversial immigration law. Iranians clashed with the police, saying, “Death to the dictator!”
The people of Asia demanded, all in different Asian cities, that they were given improved working conditions and wage increases. The clashes between the police and the protesters were seen on TV. It’s May Day, in the year of 2012. It starts in Seattle, where people are marching through the streets.
Soon after, it turned violent. A group of black clad protesters started smashing windows downtown store windows and disrupting traffic. Of course, it started out peacefully. About 50 people were gathered at the Seattle Central Community College. The people there marched into the college, trying to persuade the students there to join them in the march.
After they would gain more supporters, they would meet down with other groups at their downtown Westlake Park. Originally, they were going to cut down through the park, but they decided to take another route, which was through the streets of Capital Hill, where they eventually ended up at Westlake Park. They joined up with the groups there and started an early afternoon rally. A few people talked to the crowd, but some people decided that wasn’t enough. A group of people went back to the streets.
When they had left, the original 50 people turned to 100 people. They were chanting and carrying signs, but it was obvious that they would turn violent. Most of the group was dressed in black, wearing scarves or bandanas covering their faces. As they walked down the streets of Seattle, it grew more violent. They got to the Federal Courthouse and vandals smashed the back windows of the building.
They went down from there, smashing windows at a NikeTown store, along with parked cars windows. Tires were also slashed and that was when the police showed up. They were dressed in full riot gear. Eight people were arrested for vandalism and pedestrian interference, to assault. Because they were stopped, the remaining people from the group, “Black Bloc” changed into normal clothing and disappeared into the crowd.
The police also found these homemade incendiary devices made from toilet paper and fruit juice boxes. Also, a reporter named Richard Departee was injured; he was struck upside the head with a wooden pole, making his head bloody.
Sources for information:http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/why-did-may-day-turn-into-riot-day/question-2608639/
http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/May-Day-protests--149640725.html
On May 1st, this is known as May Day, or International Workers Day. International Workers Day is a celebration of labor and mostly has street demonstrations and marches following it. It is also a national holiday in more than 80 countries. It’s also known for Haymarket Massacre of 1886 in Chicago, where someone threw a bomb at the police after a public meeting. The police then fired on workers at the meeting, killing several of them and several police officers from friendly fire.
A lot of riots happened on that day. The first was on May 1st, in 1894, in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland’s unemployment rate was increasing, mostly during the Panic of 1893. Riots broke out, including several violent demonstrations among the unemployed. This condemned city leaders because of their ineffective measures of relief.
Then, in 1904, the International Socialist Conference met in Amsterdam, calling on all trade unions and Social Democratic Party organizations to energetically participate in the legal establishment of an eight hour day. And Congress made that possible for no work to be on that day. Workers in all countries tried to make that happen in their countries and they succeeded. It was an official holiday, which includes demonstrations by socialist, communist and anarchist groups. And bonfires are lit for the Haymarket Massacre in commemoration.
Then, May 1st, 1919, more violent demonstrations in Cleveland, Ohio occurred. The riots all started when Socialist leader, Charles Ruthenburg organized a local trade. It included unionists, socialists, communists, and anarchists. They were protesting the jailing of Eugene V. Debs. His court trial was held in Cleveland the previous year.
They marched to the public square and were asked to stop by a group of people called the Victory Loan Workers. They had been carrying flags when they were divided into four groups. They each carried Socialist flags and the American flag. They refused and fights broke out between them and the Victory Loan Workers. Chaos spread quickly and Ruthenberg’s headquarters were ransacked by a mob.
Finally, police officers showed up, as did army trucks and tanks. 166 people were arrested, forty were injured and two were killed. Of those arrested, Ruthenberg was one of them and it was said he was charged with “assault with intent to kill”. Among those people, only eight of them arrested were born in the United States. Because of the riot, the city’s government passed laws to restrict parades and the red flags.
It was the most violent disorder in United States history. In 2010, on May 1st, thousands of people over the world were in the streets for the annual demonstrations. They were demanding better working conditions. Its usually peaceful protests, but not in Athens, Greece, 12,000 people were in the streets. They were carrying red flags and surging to toward the police on the scene.
The police had riot shields and helmets. Injuries and arrests had occurred. ATM’s were ruined and so was a satellite car which was torched. Also, the glass of a bank and car were ruined. In Russia, 900 people in different cities and towns participated on May 1st.
The largest gatherings mostly took place in Krasnodar, Yakutsk, Vladivostok, Izhevsk, Moscow and St. Petersburg. They wanted decent salaries and stable employment. In Turkey, tens of thousands of people and political activists met for the first celebration officially of May Day. It was in Taksim Square in Istanbul for the first time in 30 years. In Germany, protesters clashed with the police and were instantly arrested in Hamburg.
Seventeen police officers were injured when they confronted the protesters who were throwing rocks and setting garbage cans on fire. In Cuba, people marched through Revolution Plaza in Havana. The crowds are usually very big, and their government stated the turnout they had was the people saying the country was unified and they support the leaders. Also, several cities in the United States protested against the Arizona’s controversial immigration law. Iranians clashed with the police, saying, “Death to the dictator!”
The people of Asia demanded, all in different Asian cities, that they were given improved working conditions and wage increases. The clashes between the police and the protesters were seen on TV. It’s May Day, in the year of 2012. It starts in Seattle, where people are marching through the streets.
Soon after, it turned violent. A group of black clad protesters started smashing windows downtown store windows and disrupting traffic. Of course, it started out peacefully. About 50 people were gathered at the Seattle Central Community College. The people there marched into the college, trying to persuade the students there to join them in the march.
After they would gain more supporters, they would meet down with other groups at their downtown Westlake Park. Originally, they were going to cut down through the park, but they decided to take another route, which was through the streets of Capital Hill, where they eventually ended up at Westlake Park. They joined up with the groups there and started an early afternoon rally. A few people talked to the crowd, but some people decided that wasn’t enough. A group of people went back to the streets.
When they had left, the original 50 people turned to 100 people. They were chanting and carrying signs, but it was obvious that they would turn violent. Most of the group was dressed in black, wearing scarves or bandanas covering their faces. As they walked down the streets of Seattle, it grew more violent. They got to the Federal Courthouse and vandals smashed the back windows of the building.
They went down from there, smashing windows at a NikeTown store, along with parked cars windows. Tires were also slashed and that was when the police showed up. They were dressed in full riot gear. Eight people were arrested for vandalism and pedestrian interference, to assault. Because they were stopped, the remaining people from the group, “Black Bloc” changed into normal clothing and disappeared into the crowd.
The police also found these homemade incendiary devices made from toilet paper and fruit juice boxes. Also, a reporter named Richard Departee was injured; he was struck upside the head with a wooden pole, making his head bloody.
Sources for information:http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/why-did-may-day-turn-into-riot-day/question-2608639/
http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/May-Day-protests--149640725.html