———-
Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday June 24, 1919
Winnipeg General Strike News: Mounties and Specials Attack “Silent Parade”
From Western Labor News Special Strike Edition No. 32 of June 23, 1919:
BLOODY SATURDAY
R.N.W.M.P. Make Gory Debut
-Peaceful Citizens Shot Without Warning
-City Under Military Control
-Returned Men Incensed
-Strikers More Determined.
One is dead and a number injured, probably thirty or more, as result of the forcible prevention of the “silent parade” which had been planned by returned men to start at 2.30 o’clock last Saturday afternoon. Apparently the bloody business was carefully planned, for Mayor Gray issued a proclamation in the morning stating that “Any women taking part in a parade do so at their own risk.” Nevertheless a vast crowd of men, women and children assembled to witness the “silent parade.”
The Soldiers’ Committee, which had been interviewing Senator Robertson, had not returned to their comrades when the latter commenced to line up on Main Street, near the city hall.
No attempt was made to use the special city police to prevent the parade. On a previous occasion a dozen of the old regular city police had persuaded the returned men to abandon a parade which had commenced to move.
On Saturday, about 2.30 p.m., just the time when the parade was scheduled to start, some 50 mounted men swinging baseball bats rode down Main Street. Half were red-coated R.N.W.M.P., the others wore khaki. They quickened pace as they passed the Union Bank. The crowd opened, let them through and closed in behind them. They turned and charged through the crowd again, greeted by hisses, boos, and some stones. There were two riderless horses with the squad when it emerged and galloped up Main Street. The men in khaki disappeared at this juncture, but the red-coats reined their horses and reformed opposite the old post office.
Shooting to Kill
Then, with revolvers drawn, they galloped down Main Street, turned, and charged right into the crowd on William Avenue, firing as they charged. One man, standing on the sidewalk, thought the mounties were firing blank cartridges until a spectator standing beside him dropped with a bullet through his breast. Another standing nearby was shot through the head. We have no exact information about the total number of casualties, but there were not less than thirty. The crowd dispersed as quickly as possible when the shooting began.
Some Citizens Applaud Man-Killers
When the mounties rode back to the corner of Portage Avenue and Main Street, after the fray, at least two of them were twirling their reeking tubes high in the air in Orthodox Deadwood Dick style. Some individuals, apparently opposed to the strike, applauded the man-killers as they rode by.
Special Police Appear
Lines of special police, swinging their big clubs, were then thrown across Main Street, and the intersecting, thoroughfares. Dismounted red-coats lined up across Portage Avenue and Main Street declaring the city under military control. Khaki-clad men with rifles were stationed on the street corners.
Public Meetings Abandoned
There were no open-air meetings on Saturday night, but the Central Strike Committee met as usual and resolved to “carry on” with redoubled vigor. If the city remains under military control meetings will likely be held outside the city limits.
Soldier Strikers Incensed
Indignation at the action of the authorities was forcibly expressed by returned men. They feel that the prevention of the parade was an infringement of the human rights they have fought to defend, and they are especially incensed by the murderous assault of the mounties upon an unarmed crowd. One man, recently returned, said:
They treated us worse than we ever treated Fritzy. [German soldiers.]
The returned men assumed full responsibility for the “silent parade” proposition, making a special request that the strikers should not join them.
“This is our affair,” they declared. Had they intended violence they would hardly have invited their wives to join in the parade.
[Photographs and emphasis added.]
From The Winnipeg Evening Tribune of June 23, 1919:
—–
—–
—–
—–
—–
—–
—–
—–
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCES
Quote Wpg GS Spirit Unbreakable, Western Labor News of May 19, 1919
“UNBREAKABLE
The Spirit of the Strike
A digital exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Winnipeg General Strike”
Winnipeg Strike Bulletin
(Winnipeg, Manitoba)
-June 23, 1919
Pub’d by Western Labor News
From:
The Winnipeg General Sympathetic Strike
[of] May-June, 1919
-by the Defense Committee
Winnipeg Manitoba, 1920
(See page 184.)
http://debs.indstate.edu/w776s3_1920.pdf
Western Labor News, Organ of Winnipeg Trades and Labor Council
-June 23, 1919
https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca/islandora/object/uofm%3A2758596
https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca/islandora/object/uofm%3A2758572
https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca/islandora/object/uofm%3Amanitobia_newspapers?display=uofm_list&f%5B0%5D=facet_group_title_ms%3A%22Western%5C%20Labor%5C%20News%22&f%5B1%5D=type_of_resource_facet_ms%3A%22text%22
Wpg GS, Western Labor News Strike Edition No 32, June 23, 1919
IMAGES
The Winnipeg Evening Tribune
(Winnipeg, Manitoba)
-June 23, 1919
https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca/islandora/object/uofm%3A1692890
See also:
Tag: Winnipeg General Strike of 1919
https://weneverforget.org/tag/winnipeg-general-strike-of-1919/
The Winnipeg Evening Tribune
(Winnipeg, Manitoba)
-June 23, 1919
https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca/islandora/object/uofm%3A1692898
Note: Here the Tribune republishes the article above, less a couple of headings.
SAYS MOUNTIES SHOT WITHOUT WARNING
—–
Western Labor News Describes “Bloody Saturday” Rioting
—–The Western Labor News’ version of the rioting Saturday appears in today’s issue of that publication under the heading “Bloody Saturday…”
Following is the article in full:
“One is dead and a number injured….”
“‘Bloody Saturday’ art installation to keep strike history ‘alive for next 100 years'” by Rachel Lagacé
https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/bloody-saturday-art-installation-to-keep-strike-history-alive-for-next-100-years-1.4476941?cache=yes%3FautoPlay%3Dtrue%3FclipId%3D89926
“The 1919 Winnipeg General Strike: six weeks of solidarity in the fight for workers’ rights” by Kelly Anne Griffin
https://thediscoverblog.com/tag/bloody-saturday/
“The Winnipeg General Strike Is Immortal” by Meagan Day
https://jacobinmag.com/2019/05/winnipeg-general-strike
1919: The Winnipeg General Strike, A Blog
http://1919winnipeggeneralstrike.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/1919wpgstrike
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They’ll Never Keep Us Down – Hazel Dickens
“They’ll never shoot that Union out of me.”