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Accid nee OUT tOE p~ns ) On the Ropes (COACH HOUSE 1;I001<s) Works tlt41 way because that' the way it work$ {Tsu AMi EDTTIO
}
the
RIOT ACT
TRANSLATlO
Gabriel Duf~IOI1I' Speak$. (TALON"BOOl<S)
A BRJEF H ISTORY O F RIOTS IN VANCOUVER A THOLOGY
Writing Class: TII Koo.tenay School of Writing A71tl1alogj'{ EW STAR nOOKS)
MICHAEL BARN HOLDEN
Anvi1 Pre.s I Vancouver I ?005
'\
ofthi ho()k maylxHeproduccd 'QyallY .I1lean ,,,,ithout the pdQr wlltt~ p 1'1'n' ion of ~b~ pqbli ~h~r, witb the cxceplion of brief passage ill Nvi v , 0)' r qnest for photo tOpyin,g Ijt(~thGr repr()~lal)hic (;()pylng ohn)'l>art of ' Ih ight
1:('
crwd.
fO pari
0'11: 'booRI11U rl)«c.iir' '.1
t dlnwitlnglo-Ae' . ' Copyrigh~Th(' !HladialtC p)'rigot
ll, ill~ AgeJtcJ,One 1onS~ .,tri' -to S\)ire 19QO. ',forQi-M, OJlt t the ntJJnh t oftwelye r mor\! (notwjth tanding uch pro 1amation mad) untawfuU', riotou 1y. alld tumultuously r main r continue together by fhe spa·e of one hour ftel" uth cOTn_mal1d or rcqu~ t made by proc1amation. that (ben u h continuing together to the number of twelve or mote aft r u h com.mand or request made by proclamation, hall be adjudged felony WithOllt benefit (If clergy, and the offenders therein -hall be adjudged felons, and hall suffer death as in 3. ca '(,{ of felony without benefit of clergy.
And ever ~ uch jll. ti
H
HI
-r
and justices f the peace, . herlff, under- herm: m ~yor, bailiff. and othe-r head-officer aforesaid. within the limits of their respectiv juri~dktion ' are hereby t:
Authorized> ill'lpowered and reqUired, -on notice or knowledge o allY such unrawful, riotous and tomulruou assembly, to re ort t the place where uch unJawfu~ riot(l1.l(). and tumulluu a semb-lie hatlbe, ofperson tothenum-bcr ftwelve-or more and there to make or au e (0 b Jnade prod maHon in manner aforesaid. £.(;'1.'(0
PA . E-o 11 ]4)
., TH OJUCINAL (HO'J'
A GUST OF 1715-}
II.
And b itl'urther cna ted b tlle authodty aforesaid. That the Qrd t aad form f the pro Jam tion (hat shaH be made by the auth rity t (:hi act, -hall 00 a - hereafter fo-JJo,..'eth (thtH is to say) the 'u ti eo the pea~e-) or -other ~rson a1.1thorlzed by-tht act t make the -aid prodama i n snarL among the said riote ,or a ne~r 10 them as he cal) ate!;y collie, \:VJth a roud voice conunand" or cauSe to be ommand~ ilene 'to be, white
proclamatioJl-is malting! and after that hall openly and with loud voi e m~ke (,) f cause to be tnade proclamation if) the e words. or like in effect: Our ()¥ reign t ord the Kin& thurgeth and ommandeth alI pons. b jng i;l{;sembl 'd. itnl'nGdj.atdy ~o dis-per e them.selvt$,-alid peaceably to dep~rf to thoir:habitation ,or to- bei lawfw b-u jness, upon the pain~ contained in the t made in the first year of King Georgt", for p 'en tin 'tumult and riotOllS a emblies. God ve the King-
ACT
\
11
l;1.
IrE DJ.NG THE RIOT : T
PREFACE
lJ!!' WORD nlOTc:omes fr-ofllobscureorjgillsiH Middle English, and
T
originally meant explanatio~ ",hkh only flntb~r ob 'l:ured t-Ite ea.u ¢s ~d eventt I ding up to the riot. 1have tried t() t.'Q11 truer , popufar history t h(lt cf'npha iz the eeHccllve over the individu:al, rflIW a H('tH f.:)vi!r great men. For tile mo. tpart 1 have relied 011 SEoot'ldary Ii U -(:S, but not Just official or mamstream rCPQrt~ , I haye ought out the tectfng here.
Such are the things of dream. -MJ£HAEL B R NHOLDEN
Vancouver,. febnt~r)' 2005
\
'16
R.E.A.t:lL
'faE It I()
A
INTRODUCTION T HE SOUND Or- BROKE ·
Gus
OR
IF RIQ'l"S ARE THE SYMlfTOM, C PITAU M 1 THE DlSl;AS
A
rnoT) A DEJ:INED in 64 of th Criminal Code, is an unlawful
a embly that h s begun to disturb th peace lumultuou Iy.. In s63 (t),anunlawfula semblyi 3nassembly fthree(lfmOrewho,withinteut tarry out any common purpo e a sembJe or cond l.et themselves wIlen assembled in such a manner to cau e persons in tht> ne):ghbourhood of the as emblyon reasonable ground to belie e that the will eli tu-rb the peace tumulluou ly r provoke others t01IJOlultuouslyclisturb the p~cc. In s63 (2 , a la\\'ful a sembly can become- unlawful wh,u th common purp() e .becomes unlawfuL But when does the peace begin to b . disturbed tumultuously? The an 'et" in Imo t very ca e is ih . ound of brokeD glass> or, t th very iea t) the fear of gla being broken, whkb move the polio . riot quad ta action, and signal th change from an unlawful a embl}r to the beginning of a riot. Broken glas is a potent imaS! ignaJling the breakdown of1he barrier b tween public and private property. 'Ihe riots t hat I have looked at r this book have two things in common: pOlice pre cnce beyond the ordinary and an attaCk 0 11 privafe property, reat or imagined, The key question about the riots I have eX>lminea. alway return to the language of the crill Inal cod ; Why would t\."'elve or mar per. oJ) lmlawfuUy and riotoust)' a mhle? Pur bluntl){, why riot? Sureiy there are ali1er avenues (If neg.otiatioH Qpen to the riOW! ~ The CQurt could provide remedy to injusti ~S, the r gist tute can chang ba I Ja' , the medIa tan expose inju lice. and public opinion can ompel swift accommodation eYen in th most rec:akitf'~lllt. All of the. e and othe variou reCQur are u, ed by aggrieved parties, but (ill we. have riots. lhe anS\' r: I have found, lie in looking at the liberal democratic 'odeI:)' in w1li h we live nd examining how con ensus-real -or coetced- breab
18
RB DJ G
H
IN' RODt.: C' to
R10T ACT
Qown. The riot i. III i elf nQt tb hr au e 1 find the Circumst.anc j-nstnl Hvcwhcn 100 eclat in a p rti · Jan\'ay. 'fJ1C fir tthing that hould be noted i this; rarely' anyone killed or petrnnne,otly j.nj r d in a riot; in fa~t, h very defirtil' 11 of a riot:M ~'djsturballce aim t predud'esacts fyiolence i ading to d,eath. t i tn t often tbe rioter th 11;1 elv wh are injured by the police in the~ct of quelling fh l:iot. Damage 0 pri ute property is alrno t alway the.n t igtlifkant ac.tivi;ty during it dot and should been for what it j; n attack on I1beral em.oc.ratic govenun Jlt that plac property right ahcO\d of human right. Most modern democraHe tate are ~ ed on the pbil ~ophy ofJobn Lodte~ which held that the ole justificatIon for th e.ri, f(>tltC of any govemm nt \! as.. the pre er~tion of private property. People llltly ~tarve, the~r ba lc human need · may be ignored, o1onga t he igbt topri te:,prop rty jsma,int in d. The riOl1) that ¥e ar all famfli.a1" with 1hrough 'xposurc to the ma media are face riots. fbod riot , pri on riot, labour riots., student riot, Qllth riots 'and jdeological riots. Wh t all o · the c cnt h ave. in common i that they are enti-all epi od ~ h, a targer .. lass war" between the «governed' and t heir "governors." . ot what politicaJ ec n o-
m; fEl'i Hobsbawm alled "coil ellv bar aining by riot "but omcthing morc, Usually the riotertlre .CJlloni'Zed and mar iU:J1i.zed or hevictims
19
have been demonized OJ' marginalized to the p oint where somehow their behaviour invite their fate at tb hand of the l';1oter . The das ic identifier i the ph r~s~ "a few had apples: which' code for'out ide agitators (often ornmunisls)) becau e good citi~cns would n 'It!.! oi ob t a lawful order to di p rSf, jll t like the police would neyc,r tand back .and allow
unchallenged at1ack on private properfy. Alth.ough th poli .. are there to "serve and prot.ect:' th y take til ir rders from duly elected repr Cll tath'es who may have much different values in mi.nd about wh ~Kactly th(:y we're de f.ed to serve and pr()fect.
"All order imp[;es repres ion" -ROUND BARTHES
What all fhese riots have in common is that they
aT
e.asily identi-
fi«fa CpT ad of ongoing classconOict betwe n weU being that d olves t the owner. What b Hcr olution th 11 a sy tem of production wh r' th bo pay a l it!"le a po sibl and take a little respon 'ibifit} a pos jble for the ,. (lrk ,r? Thal the mUllmUtll vllage and forty-hour work week aft} major COll es· ion wrung from capItal with Illuch fighting and even death, ' )ould be remembered wheneve-r the t rm "da war" j u~ed.
2.0
R ,DJ G 1'H E RIOT
INTRODUC JON
T
.Proouct ivity is the only con~rn the young, PltOp1e of olout'. the poor prisoners, and the 'd ologtcall)' margjnal-io othe words, tho e who'e la s interests ar~ not do ty allied\ to the intere ~ of the ontroUers of (;apital. Commentat 1" haye b ;om too J
~
IH! ADlN
t'l
RIO ' A '1'
INTROD eTTON
doctrinaire ift their defioition of the working das as nY011 who has to depend on income not f lated to an Investment 9f capital. The work i multitudinou$ alld varied, ~id and unpaid, bUf "lway beholden to the upposoo benefic nee or ~ha ri t> f capiral. Th" arne 1i t defille the p rtkipant. in the riot· I hilV.e chosen t 'tUfiy here because they h :ve , n:~ thiog in no drunken ymphony ri t • no riots, tall. If Y9
DON'T RT.O 1:0U
A. 'T COMPLA IN
fo me to deal vith i th Antl- jan Riot of 1.907< which appear to b 1h white working dass. through their lubou.f and religiou organizations, v rsu the Chinese Japallese, and Korean ",'orke . But n cIo er examinatioh of~he i ue, W~ can ee 1hat white workers were manipulated b the fuling -lites. wh had no intention of excluding the (oriental) labour th desperately needed in order to make their b\1s1neproject profitable. it appear. to be ne of tho ituation 'he.)'1; iUusrrateQ by a equote fi m J hn}. Gould: "I cali hit one half of tb working class to kin th other half." £lhe free speech .fights that cot! umed the west co st f orrh Ametic in th 1910 can be t b haraet rized a p Htical riot's, in that t1H~ultlmateajmoftheIndu trial Worker ofrheWorld waS to overthrow capital.i .m and they .demanded the ffeedom to pea and otgani'6e. The response of the ideologic",l tate apparat es, particularly the legislative. j\,ldici~ry; and police reveals quite teady the natur of caJ citah m'shold. WhM you add in "free press" and reJ.isiQo to capital' arsenal. the pkture becom even dear r. ,'\ hat t:an otllt e de cribed as od riot .io (h Dirty Thirtic g.r~phkaJty expQ$ed ~he ullin-Jar nature of cn[>jtali m. M n, women, and to fulfill labour supply cOlltrac~ between the Nippon Supply Company and the Co.rtadian Pacific Railway> t rai1H~d the private resources. of the dtfs busine community to the point where t he Ja~ ne e Consul appealed to civic offkials to an-a nge safe transportation for the labourers from the dock to their jobs> The Province of .British CQlumbia~' Imm:igration Act of 1,907 had not en given Roy f As ent by thelieutet!anl Go :ernor~ maim becnu e it iol ted international tfel1ties With Japan. At lorney General Bow cr, who had drown up the ACl~ also happened to be the lawyer for the Nippon upply Company and WftS r.espon ible for drawing up the company' ontract' to supply A (, tic labour; thus, Bower profitted from the con~ trae-ling of the labour he publicly pledged to ex iude from the province. 'lhi double s.tandard also allowed the contracted labour to be ~;lfd at lbout halfl'he .goi~tat'eof other worker .
32
A ' I-ASIAN RlOTS 33
READING 'tHE alOl' ACT
who weren't b:ldty injured or hospitaliz d were force-marched north to the Canadi.~n border. where they had to be allowed to cos becau e they
were f,kttLh SutJjects. A persistent rumou. that a boatload 0 four bundred i.rnmigrant wa to arrive ~t the city's dock... on the we kend Jso .a~ded
fuel to th .fire.
On Saturday, par~d . marshal
aj r P . BIowne b 'gun tIl . march fr m the 'ambic Gr und , followed by .carriage ca ring 1h A ialk
lw ion League official an \h~ir ftt ods, famili ~ invit d SF ktW th ~€ \3C hit'lg bllnds. a'n ever held, dr:l.wlng n the p tticipation of trade 'Union> fr ~ tarnal organization • cligiou groups, v('teT<w'" gr up,~ aRd like-minded dti'Zens. Spea . rs included PQlilfdan , b hI ('aJ and t1.S. labour Jeader: , and religiou feaders. On the li'flusday b ~ r I'M · could on! lock theIr do {$ and set up barricade to protoct themselves. t thi point ian. including 'ome of the Bellingham refugee> were appat'cntly movjno freely in the crowd. The antmo tty of the crQ"wd emed more symbolic than per ooal. Property damage wa heavy; but w, jf
any ph)1 icalln'urie were reported. The crowd soon .remembered that their main target was th . Japane e, 0 they regrouped OJl Westminster v nue at Powell the entry to what was known as"Ji tic Yokohama.'" The Japanese-owned drysooQ. stor on the southe~ t comer w the first target (If the thousand- frang ll\ b inflicting 2AoO in damage to the buHdh g and m r: ha ndisc with a steady barrag of :toues' nd brick, :By ten Qdoc;k. the b~dly utn umbercd poli e force, \-\>hkh hadeall d in ill{ on"-duty officersfror tb total 'for e of ab lit two dozen, wa un blc to h ilc any effect, arid th{!iT' afuty was () e:n ~n doubt. The fire brigade wa al 0 called i n to help, Arre .\' re fe,"", in part becawe the crowd would re ue an one captut'edi a bOOkkeeper,. an l L.'l lia labourer, and a
:Both Chinatown and JapantQwn were oon behind polk sttee-t barricade • but port !let the nUlll.b er f arrests aHwcnty~fourwith only one case bein, heard, noting that th proce iute wa a joke> another claimed that ightetm \ ere arre ted atunfay night, and five on Sunday. for · total of t we.nt},-. three , nunenting that "'thu e wj(h polificl\J fJiend ..ct:e few.' Th only convicHoll se 111 t-o have be the bookkeeper for th · North Van"ouver 'erry olUpallY who, a fined fifty d lIar for assaulting -a police ergean.
'{he Iarg~ t impact in VancoU\'er wa the withd rawal .of Jabour b y the Chi-ne and Japafle f. All hines workers wel'lt on trike and the Japallc e held a mass me ting at the Powell fyeet Grounds Mond yafterno n to consider their action. Thank mainly to high-level diplomacy from Great Britain under pre UTe fr m their aUy Japall~ more seri us redre· s wa to orne in th form of Royal C mmi ion to be nndertak u by William LYOll M cken~i King. at that time the ederal Deputy Mini ter of Labi)ur. One each t; rthc ettlement of Japane and Chill e losses during the riot, and another hlquiry into the immigration of Oriental lab ute! 10 Canada. The commission into Japane e loss sat for leven day at Pen r HaUandr~ommcnded award -totalling "'9,o~6 indudingleg-al * pen e and a recommendation that the Japanese Consulate be paid J ~ 0 for expense , whk.h the Con ul rerus d . It is useful to I t~ that 0 ti . ' 107
m ' l - ASlAN l u O'
•. 1.. ~.!Z'$ ~G, ~ ~~.•
;,7
It\Uns made~ busine Se$ repl'e ented' included one bank tivr 'barber $nops. two bath houses. seven ~andy store. four employmenl 0flke$, thirteen geneta) ,store$, one hatter's s:hop, ni!le botel, one newspaper. one resl:\l'llrant. one rice mill) two boem~ker~ .and one 'watchmaker. The CMMse cQtlltnis ion.. was sjmilnr e~cept for the claims f .'l couple
,
.I4oI>'a
f opium fact.ories which J.-.·ere not honoured and led King to Jater pu 'h for the outlawing of the drug, 0 claims fur weapon' Of ammunition were Howed, 'illthQu~b n'!{\.ny of the defendll"tS bad in pur~.. gun ..md ammunition fQr (heir O\'Vll pr.ote lIon, ignific:antly. J~either fhe riots ll.(!f their t! U e ~ in BUirn~>>> "' . moo Planes rt\~sb t Japs 11lb ina Ba c/ Nazis ~ Japs Are 6i Liars." The- fr nt-pAg art i Ie i continued inside \ ith the headlinl;!, "lap Riot. ' 11,e Prol inc.c he.adIJne e. ds. j p in City i ti ng W ·U B ent n1t'd" under the Cl;lt Jh).e "St1)tement in Bou e. ThePro1Ijllce-ha- twoplctur ) one of the Immigr.-al.con Building' itn.pris. on r hanging out tnt' upper' indow and debt'i n the ground. The other show 1\ oma n w,ith a u itca. € waving h~\ 'a rd the Immigration Building in the di tance with ( ~o a rmea soldiers he tween her and th building. A long..sfmniering (J ire- in BroUsh Columbia to gel' tid of it itt?; tIS of Jap'tlo e an /::, try h
it ms more playful than anythh)gel e,'> \ hat Sun reade./' weren't told is that many lh men being hldd in the Immigmti n heJs were Ca;nadian Citizen who had v luntatily surrenderel.nd th'E' t'mploying cia 8 have lw!1,ing in common.. 'lhere C'.ln ~ fl(l pea lot!t5 as hUI)~c{ arit! w of re 11 und among mimons of the ~\Torcking people and the cw,' ho lnuke up the emplo ing cia > have all the good t1linlP f life . .8etw~n tli two das I."S (ruggl .ollist go on untU the workers ofth,e world or&aniz~ a clas tii\ke posse $ion of the means of production. aboJr h the wage·y tern, and live ill h 'J"HE l ' nt1S1'RlA WORK &RS f. tht'1 Wi)rrd t OJ: Wobblies·. crttiqM.of capi-
tali m c()ve~d not ()n~yec(ln J111. ~n,d
ocj~! ~,Qt~cern
> bUl
nizing around practical i UIl ' like th eight~ hour -day. the 1\ W cam 0 be iewtd with ~ fear that in pired vindictive and often nTegal reactiOlls. t}p -and d wu the W Coa l of Nrth America, the basic condiHou. that led fo "fr-ee speech fights" were neady alway,s the same. Civk leader were nervous .about both the language and content of the :public sp eches given bymembE'r of the Industrial WQfkers €lfthe World, They ulld~r. tood only too 'Well that t he lWW ml~ dvocating th oV'erthrowof c-apitaUsm aud the end' of privilege. CapitflJ' m ~~a under 1l;1tack from man)' quarters but t h~ ca:pitali t were nOi about to. give up without. a fight. The wctlpon of choice ;;anged from the tegali ric, but Jnd d the tr ets were for;.t,>"lking n nd the pea e.(' could simply hire a haJi t get their mcs ag 0\11. Tdlinglr the Sa!vatj()n Army warl ni~ht. lhe Vancouvec Trade and Labour Council organized .a r~ny in front of City HaU, at which they extended sympathy and l,ledged suppor t. The battIe continued both in the oourt and 011 the ir . The net of M~ . saw anoth t m:l mecli-ng in front of ity Hall. where , The Pr()v;llce put it, < 'Jhere '\ er cvcrlll speakers, who. advo ~.ate. get aut of rite way went down like f.ett-pins before the ;rresistibl un s/twgh£ of the offiatrs•.. The PoweU Street Grounds looked sam thing like a
A
tree( p rot t continued to
t C'dtntl'.
th,' el Clorate voted in
battlefield.
Jan1e~
findlay, a Taw-and ~rd r conservatIve Cimdidat~. as mayor -and ity council promptly pa sed a by!a,\" bantling II out.door meetings. . n
January 10, 1~H2. four men were art tt:d at:\I 1 w-organized meeting at Cordova and Carrall. 'lhree were cf'Hl rged \\!ith vagnm yand fhe other with assaulting a police officer. The fol1o\ ing day, iK ~peakers ~ re
Almo t thirly arrests were made with baiLet aUtvehund red -dollax . The border was sealed to prevent an anticir ated Wobbly inva.siol'l, a~d ! h~ Interurban rai! line wa monitored.
6
~E ;\
1 G
li RtO
FR
ACT
V hat n:\d been expe "ted
(0
PB
H RIOT
57
prove a diver ion from th ... usual quiet
Sund 'afier:noQu t:Outtlle was iast dwindling into a very poor show, Then oruething happ "ned. Arthur Wong, me.r:nbe of tile Y-oUllg- Chinese !> i ty, atr e.d in natty se g~, bout(II'1l1icre Chines lilie. landing collar, a n.d Illh a . e or-i of correct dres from his do, el . dipped hir utl t hi ' fallltl pat nt Leather , mounted tbe rostrum amid thund 'rou~ pptau e. Wong 6c.iatist, and th . late rnig11t b ot down in hi wry a the first '\I herein one of hi ra e h' .mount d the per. -air fO truttl. VhUe v'V'ong I,,'a "'1 n( on t!nthusla' m he wa; woully $-hQrt.'~ on En
,-p £RRJl, eL.LiOT 'l',RUDJ;:AIJ
\loted in N~;ver ay Die by J
H
T·
· lfE P RTV 1'IUIlTl S were 'aid t h;1V$ en hard r . \1 ~ n couv r , tha n ny other it)' in ~ Had. , hen tJ;it· ~o rn f the 1\\fel1ties came to 1'I obr pI nd n that Black Friday' in 'lober )f 192.9, very few re ogni .ed that ttli wY U
DAY
NEMPLO Me 'f RIO
65
when asked by the tore manager. : •• ARe.'- - e Re E'" ,'" s40 tOT ' ·, -E ' ,to D - · · .. : ca es were rna h d and ! •• merchandise '\ as throwJl at poJke. : Ricl1a.rd Rol.h ry. NF. :
ai pTa
f
ventl,!a ll . th
Qlit
trikel'$ "we : George. H WOO4 27"
''A
: ..
d riven from the tor. Damag
• Pefer Kcl).Oe.dy. NflA .. A. R. .'cot!, 19 FA.
were latef estimated at fh' thouand dollars; six. pOlk: men' I'e , . l1l}ured and tWQ arr 'werellladc
: J hn [ \ iOll.44. 21 e I Ge'lrgia. : : Jim WaL h. 3.• NFA. • • MHo! M Caule\'. • 312 West !
.
: GeQr~ia.·
., :
for.a 'lIlLing a p H~ offic
r. - 0 rs.-..r Ritl;:hi • 1. 7194 Culled n. h h r..J · · C nd :W. J~y f\ RWIll ' • e marc n CQomue(1 : WilHam Drl 1 . 21 . . ltJ Wt~l p," nd r. : • down Gran ilJe Street to Hasting • Robert, Maxv."CJl, 28, . 11 Homer. and along Hasting to Victory • ..... w:t~·jd • 1',27. ·A. • .. ~dw:lrd rr. n 's. '30, NFA. • quart, where more peeehes ""'ere : Waller Heltllne!, 33, 1. 7 Manlllt I). : made-and a del gati n of t<m men • John rahnliury, 21.., 54 Wc:;t AI • • wa appointed to "It the ma 'or : 0)', • • on bIo k. away at City RaiL MaYQr . n unnm:ned jnvctllle. : McGeer li ten d to their d mand. : PetCJ'S6ymour. • fordvici.1, i$taoc .whkhofcourse - John McOregor. : 1h
I
·
'RcllefDi,\lnOI' tc I ton. L,un
~
A'
AR.CHIY ··
was Ol:gani7.¢d b the Relief Camp Worker".; Union for April 2.3. In additi.on (.0 1'0 n.ow-ubiqu-itotl parad ' \-.nth thouods marcl1ing behind brau bands, the org;mizers had a et1tet'ed Iked a oUlld and left, cau ing l1o. damage. 111cy mov d n xt to the Hud on' .Bay Company ("Here Before Chri t; as itwa mo.r' pOI;1u1arly k.nown) tore\ here they marched up ~nd down the ai le for about tl1irty minute., ,hantJ.n.g (Work and Wage ," A soon as th . police ent~red to remove the demon trators, who. had refused to leave
A 11-1 JOn. 1) .MONS RATION
J
·
they were not Hgihle for b cau e. : ha"ing no fixed ~ddrc they could :
not provide proo of residence, He not only refused their :I' quest. condemning their action a revo~
luttQnary and lnexcu able, but al
0
ordered them -arrested as they left the building. When word .of the arresls
.
J JUR'b'J)
Pottm {50~C·.)
gather at th-e corn~f of Carcall and Hasrlngs and ~t.ei down the street ilt City Hall. Store wj ndow were broken and hand.-to-h ld 6ghl1ng began. The tty p61k.e mounted squad:, ~long ,,\'ith mounted pro.~ inqalpolke.cnargedint thecT'Qwd. winging~he-jrqJ:llrt .By01icioight the- crowd had been dispersed, A General Strike was proposed for May l,.~ but n Ve{ fully materi· alized. McGe.er tespOil.ded by making a radio broaeca,st blaming Hle commullists, lthoug.h in communication with the feA-eraJ go... rn.li1ellt. he laid th~ blame squarely on. the fed-s for the failure of the relief calnp system. Although the toz:y of the. n1t.;tl is wen known, little i. kn wn a~ut the ~ontributi--on of women, but contribute they did. 1he Wome.n's N w ETa League bad called a \'t.bo w re renl ea {~tief and operated summ' camp for needy workingla. children, v ntunny tablishing Camp Jubilee on Indian Arm. The commii:t d leader like LiI ton man and organize Annie St wa t, could hardly e 1abelted ag~.nt of Moscow. AIthough the radical impe ative of th 71
'fhe 'ommittee followed up their other' Day Action b t'.ndjng a delegation to ee Mayor McG~r. who refused to ee them. They .h n huttonholed him in the hallway a,ld. when prodded. he resp nded that he would not follow the law of God1 as tney proposed. and feed th lnen. So th ywent to Rev. A. Roddau, a champion of the unemployed. who had s hedufed the n ayor as speaker to his c.ongrcgatiQJl" and demand d h cancel the may r's appe' family to relief. even though he had been arre ted a" member h.n illegal orga· niUltioll~ fhe R lief Camp Worker' Onion. lowly th non-left and yen the cell wfthdrew as the inuu-ediat · ris"j wane.d. One result of the e (ouditions wa increa e in UJld rover poti -Op ration$, which lat r (JlUle ,8) g'd while attem.pting to estab:ti h picket lines aud persuade scab to join their rik. The legal right to picket we uppres ed imply by de ree of Polk.: Chi f Colonel W.W. P(j, tet. N t the Citizen's l"eag~~e comm;ludeered th TDlouries and formed .;In utndlinry police for e of 160 armed hlu .- hirl d m 0 who wet turned 10 se on the\v\\tetfrollt to help tll Shipping edel"cl.tioll mahJt~iu "law and order.' ~ cn \ itn all these re ot,c es at their :.ommalld they we HlJ uuabl io ore"J the sLdke until earl Deccmb r. 'fhe :mifitant action of le Mother • Council IleV c mpJetely sfopped and their talenlS and energy would be call d for d payitrgtt " share afmake·worlquoject· money and
fl·"
>
BLOOP SU:
shutdOWJl it w rk camps ea:rtienhan u lal on May and logging camp
earl, du 0 hot weath .r~ .another major (:()nfronration began to build, The brcaki~)g pint ca me whe May r Miller dr{) ') dingle men from th I' Ii fr II, h imingthe city ou1d l'lolongerafford th> ma sive bilI . COl.UlciJ aJ () pa s d a bylaw banning we tolerate them Jt ourperfl,"-' L A RS CU.t.HANB> No longer Bttrredlrom Pri 0# On AprIl 20. 1963, three prisonet$ WI$'C 'S~ n trying 1: the incident va ov r 1n , re ignatlon of the re within t tub.' Mr. JU tiel"; Heald fthe upreme G ur t fCallad, agr with th n:.i. oller a nd held that th hole Wtl i-ndc ' (>qlel tUld unusual puni hment and .contrary to th Bin of Ri,!ht ,but refu d to a .\ on the :econd part of the uit and i Ue an order c.ompelltng lh . di rector to ct on hi I nding'. Soon aftertJle rulill wa banded dow n, th e director of the ltC. PenitentiUT> aJ1nouo 1!4 that the "P"eothous 'ould e immediately
1
Inodin. dt fun(""t ionwilbin thecourt.m Un.g butdi.s odationinthenew Super Ma~imum ucit)' Unit (~M uwould ontinue. And continue it
did "Wil
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un
~N Tal! SUMMf>tt ofl976, 80 of th 4;0
prj onel.' ho ·d in the B.C Pell jarlled a tw nt')'~ti ur-h IUr nationwide hunger trjke wit h th ne\ found upport 0 pri oner' rights group acting ()n the out ide, to pI test olitary COnfinement. M anwhile the ban by guar-d wa met by the dit t r oUhe Pen~ who declared a h elve-da), tate of emergency entitling him to order the lawyer , cl'imin.ologists, and 'olJrJlalist all int~re ted in prj Oil reB [Ill I snes w r . joined by ptisOl1 reform at;t.ivi$t ChlW CulhanE'. A, many of the nfne-m mber group 11 could bE( cOflt~rcted were-called 1 the pri on to serv jnterQ:1." ditlxie,$ bet.weeu 1he lnmates Cpmmiu:ec:.....who now controlled ITlQ I of the peulrenfiary- )nd the Ad!:ninistmti n. In atl, sixwereabl · to aH nd. Meanwhile. two il-mah ReM? tatticai squad of sharp-shooter w-er'e mo ecl int& PO itiol1. They iVerej Ine
ee
tiou i sue appeared to the guard venting thelr rage by ho 'i ng down MSU p ri soner) deprivin.,g 1hem of food, dot})ing, and heat. Eventl1,ally, malemcmber ofthe.c were a Uowedup lair toview ondition, nthe hole with the I I \~hcre the r bserved sev~aT inc-he. {If water (II') the CGll floor' and:prl ontrs in their underwear o.r naked. At l~a~t twi:(: during th hlCi a hep (:al by
Loean.,.·
the name of Pierre Trudeau ~njoi..hi'4 >fQw~g peopI to ~ Canada ik t: Va ntouver was th naail!'l) cent ,e fi' hjppi ulttlr~ and th prim dcstinstioll for many yOllng m n and women. 1 ~a rting utt'tho e ~rrested (Of ssault find/o::: ire pass to the City Jail on M.ain Street. .By that'night. protesters had surround :d the stl.1tiou d manding thciT release. Police were calJed in to pr vent a feared occllp~tion of the Qurlaing and w re rmrnediately If Ited with rocks and eggs. Eventuall}r as 1h poli went into the building two at 1;1 time to suit up and J'eturn in fall riot gear, the riot $quad wa a sembled. It t.ook aboutthree houES befor. the order we given to dear the treets, No further arrests w re reported that night. The next day, many oftbe ante poople led by the Vt.F mounted an invasi • of the . J frer pen ttating some two --and-3~ha'f miles into Ameritt n Thrritory aud l'eturnmg along1he railroad track .at Blaine, the protest cl'lded with;;1 trainload of J1CW cars that ju t Imppelled 10 be enlor M
ing Canada being b¢mbard d with rocks and b Weafid pounded with fists and club a it ·Iowly rolled along, the new )rporatereallty hauled by th .old industrial heh moth. In June of 1971,. th . riOt quad wa called 'Upon to dell - the FEtul Season propeI;Jy. a waterfront redevelopment site at the entrance to \. St jt went from bad to W0r$(!. Bottle ond ro '\II r; throW'n at th police, wh mlkd in. ~ein£ rcement . Granville and Georgia wa battlefront. Thre hundred no nin te n p compared to m(yor riot,~ ~lselVhefi~ in the 14 at'1d. manyexp IS wclfld see tile RobsQn trt.ct in idenf as} like a riot ami mOt like It huge, ulTrllly hOIl . pqrty." ...... Ri()IS, Sa 'kgr world da!;s cit
.
100
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lU T AC1'
P OR T
Before the gla s was
~ven
weI t from the tl" et ,Vancouvet City C(luncil calted for a COJltmunity·ba ed revi W, .. hien · wQuld focu on preventing a r ut' Jl ,e of imllar illcideJ1 . "10 purpo e of 1he City's t'cvlew · t to Took t the S uC' underlying riot and how they n b influenced:' The S Oplt (If th review WDuld be trictJy limit d, · however, oSlensibl . t: mak" th~
re.search "ma nageable," Rae riots, · religiou$ riots, and riot rdated t~ politi aHs u wen.;no.t incJud d. "'Forthe merea on.thetearrtdid
.not rese rcll the G)l ,
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SPORTS RIOTS 10.9
Kiet'Ec~free 7..Qlle to evert!1) , lly include th Museum f Anthropology on the f'arWi tern edge () th - amp'U, wh r the.l~d rs \\ rUo meet in hit November. They -rere also plamiirtg t a,£h·in andQther Mti~AP'ro attivitie ('m the campu , SAY B-OQ T O APEC
ext, three -student w~e arre ted on Hanow~>en night lOr wtiti,ng anH-A?£!C logan~ on th a poste'll dern riot in the $en e that publjc property \ 'a ptivatJ?;c-d and the-only tfbroke.ngla .. wa the wire fence erected to lIow th~ public to see, bllt not pa ) Um;mgh. :Rection to the riot \, as gel1etaUy ritlad of poUce~ with some &}.fm}1athy fJ rprotesl"er \lnd what was se nash denial of their right~, B'ut not it) aU co!n r }' f eoUr, e. By the end fif the PEe forum. Prime Mi'n'i~re-r r~ The Better A ItemilUve
- ··$ignS cari'ied in frontoflh~ Hyatt Hotel
VaJ;l Qllvt;(pOllcS, ~ But like-Wi e e-~g¢r to cQ;1Jlfnunkate \ ith th Primt: Mjl1j$t~r>
PEe 'rHO...,
rowd ('..ontl: 1 Unit wa initi version of thi'tty. City I)oJice epartmenl spokesperson Anne Drennall claims the pOlice were forced to act becau ether feared th~ywere losin control Prot tel' maintail the riot q.l.lad wa never nec~sary, ~ nobodye en mad it to the door ot the hotel and the polke 1i n had een restored befure the riot squad appeared. P.olice reports outlineth ti ming ofevents: h 0 minutes from the ann un ement t firSt eM act between lll(~ ceu and the "roW , onemi utefifte n e ond b tw I\ theappearanc~o theccvandcrowd oJ'lta t, thirteen ec()nd between movement of the {;ClJ and aowd contact. According t the report, contact ~ook rhe form of for e, ranging from ,hield pushes to baton jabs overnanEl baton strikes and ,overhead bat many of the a 's mbly did not confine tbemsely' to imple noisy prQt¢ t. orne threw object at police officer inducHog a can appar~,ntiy t;Onlaining a soft dl:ink., Ii bottle of water, a watet'filled baJlo n~ and pebble or one$. Some pa a;t police officer. Some pushed josd~,(t. M kicked t th m. 10 OllTe ca es me01.i>ers f the (rowd jumped onto the backs of p lice arty wa tackled nd injured whit 1a'ldng a j
13\
Cui arre·t. Some per
OQ,
~n
the c rowd scr amcd, eith r at
116
R EAJ)II'fG TH . 1UOT ACT
BRfT N 'I
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GUN'S 1'1
no
E
/ r>u~K ROCK ~rQ1"
U7
l~rs or to the fa~s of 1 olice officer', imprecations such a "Die, pig >, Rill the pigs~" and I Probl m tarted whell th do t th sradium w re still.J eked ten minut . after th Goncert Wit 'uppose 1 to have t< rted. then weI: c mpounded . hen the anlloun41eruent 'Was mad that the cQncert wa cancelled. Many the speaker' at the different gat ·were out o · rder.so 'e"'urity guards were arced to shout above the crowd. There ,,'ere an .ut 7,500 (1 ket old for the ovemb r 2002 vent. In ddition to Orca Bay (WJl ofthe hockey palace.) securit}rguards. there were nfy nine. police on duty. "Led by the l l.~di!. llc>tlts at Gates 3.1 'HId 8, trll) crowd began shmUfttg and gULutillg Qbsr:cllely f tlle pOlice. at Otca BClY s,eeu~
rUy jofce. per;;onnel and at (elevis.ion crews. After the destr/l tiM ojpr()perLy begatt, withfn minutesevelY windowaud door at ates .. 7 tltfd 8had been 1m ken. The vandals usrd steel cmwd ~Illr "J ,Sue th yweretoldtheycould mash-Hall."111eorganizersaidhe planned the party inten.ding to, reck the houses since they were now owned o.y -< Books, 1,9:$)6 . Lazarus, Morden. The Lb1lg Wi,uUng Road. Cttnadiali Labofff in Polftic$, West Vancou et: 1b Boag F~)U.ndation, 1977Leier, Mark. Rebel Lift! The Life and Tim s a/Robert O()sdrm,. Revolut.icnary, Mystic. Labour Spy. Vanc.ouV'Qr: 1 ew Star Book , 1999· I"eier, Mark Where th~Fmser River flow$': 1ftt JmJ.~.fslritilJ lVorker$ oj the World in Bril#1J Col-utubia• .ancoul)" '1': New Stat ;BQoks> 199
'ipton, C~rle . l1re Trq:dc Un/Oft Mo-v IJumt ojCcfl1adtl, 1821'1959, l'oronw; NC Press Ltd 1973Maclnnis, Gr.e . ,'. • WQodswv rPb~ A Man to R me.mber. Toronto: Ma MilJan C rnpany of Canad 1953· McDonald, Robert, A.J. and BatJnan Jean, ed. Vmlcouver Past.; Essays. in oefat History. Vancou. ·er: . niver jty of Brili h oIumbia Pre , 986. Morley. Alan, VCl-nCo.llver:- Prot1I MilltoWlf to M?lrOpofis. ancouver: Mitcl1ell Pres ,1961.
Murphy, Jennifer" and Murphy; P.J .• eds, Sente.nc $ and Paroles: A Prj (m Reader. ¥ m;(juver; New Star Book ,1~~8. Scot(, Jack Dav,ici. Four Wttlls i'-rl rh West;· The Stt>ry of the Briti; h Columbia Penit(tnft'ary. r ew W~tmin ten R,~fired Fed~tal PriSOl) Officer ' A ociation of BritIsh Colt/mbio. 1984 . Scott. Jack.. f/lutJ/leru-und '(I1Jd Profemriat, A History oj the rww in s.c.
Vancouver: ew Star ,uook ~ 1915· Stanton, jOhll. Nelier.-$ay Die1'lh-e life and Time ofa Pwneer Labour Lawyer. Ottawa; St~-el RaU Ptlblicatlons, 1987. Stohl, Michael. (\ nd Lopez~ George A~ Govemmemal Violellce I1na Repress-iotl: An Age.mla for R,cseardt. Westport: Grcenwo(~d Pre , l ( 86,
