New daily podcast: 21 October 1935: St Vincent Labour rebellion
spreaker.com21 October 1935: St Vincent Labour rebellionOn this day, 21 October 1935, the St Vincent labour rebellion began on the British-occupied Caribbean island when workers protesting against high prices in the capital, Kingstown, were fired on by police. People were protesting against plans to maintain sugar tariffs which helped producers at the expense of consumers. They held an angry rally outside the courthouse, where they smashed windows and damaged the cars of officials. The governor and attorney general were attacked, and the crowd ransacked the office of a councillor and plantation owner, and liberated 10 prisoners. Armed police read the Riot Act and then began firing into the crowd, killing one and injuring several. Rioting then spread to Georgetown and Chateaubelair, and protesters cut telephone wires and destroyed bridges. At midnight that night, a British warship arrived and authorities declared a state of emergency the next day which lasted for 3 weeks.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9431/st-vincent-labour-rebellion
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