Civil disturbances in Western Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of civil disturbances in Western Australia. Some of the disturbances in this list are considered to be race riots, prison riots, and religious conflicts - often Protestant versus catholic groups.
The earliest civil disturbances were actions by the local indigenous population dealing with European settlers.
Demonstrations and Protests are linked to a range of issues over time.
In the convict era, there were collective actions by convicts. Organised labour had to deal with issues on the Goldfields in the 1890's and 1900's with demonstrations and protest actions, while in Perth these occurred in the 1960's and 1970's over war and race issues.
There are some incidents in the 19th century where the causes are less clear. A restricted press and limited means of some groups to gain avenues to express their grievances in a dominated society, means that some disturbances were suppressed literally and disguised in the public record.
In some cases some smaller disturbances (alcohol related fights) in the Goldfields (Kalgoorlie, Boulder and Coolgardie for instance) would not be considered full scale riots, but nonetheless the charges found either in newspaper or police records would suggest a significance beyond a simple incidence of drunken behaviour.
Incidents within strikes or labour related issues tend to be under-reported also.
Contents |
[edit] Incidents
Many of these events/incidents are difficult to find from direct references, and require diligent examination of sources. Some are unlikely to show up in newspaper reports at all. In some cases incidents need checking and more accurate dating.
- 1834 - Race riots against Laska's - Perth (Portuguese creole sailors)
- 1840's (early) - Riot against American Whalers - Albany
- 1850 - Assaults against Chinese - Fremantle
- 1850 - Drunken Street Brawl - Perth
- 1852 - Convicts overpower Guards - York
- 1853 - Convicts on 'Phoebe Dunbar' - aggravated disturbance while at anchor.
- 1854 - Convicts revolt over food - Bunbury
- 1854 - Irish riot over religious issue - Fremantle Prison
- 1861 - Pensioner Guards vs Ticket of Leave Convicts - Perth
- 1894 - Riot at Mallina over Goldfield Warden Decision - Goldfields
- 1897 - Riot after Catholics attacked Protestants during 12th July parade - Coolgardie
- 1898 - Riot in September on leases - Kalgoorlie
- 1899 - Riot on Wharf during Lumper Strike - Fremantle
- 1899 - Riot in September on leases over alluvial regulations made by '10 ft Ned' Wittenoom - Kalgoorlie
- 1901 - Conflict between Catholic and Protestants - Kalgoorlie
- 1901 - Anti Protestant conflict on 12th July - Boulder 12th July parade
- 1902 - Riots on 12th July - Boulder 12th July parade
- 1905 - Race riots - between Chinese, Japanese, Malay - Broome
- 1905-10? - Race riots Anti Italian riots - Gwalia and Leonora
- 1910 - Tramway Strike riots - Perth and East Perth
- 1914 - Race riots - between Japanese, Malay - Broome
- 1915 - Race riots Anti-German riot - Fremantle
- 1917 - Anti-Conscription riot - Cue
- 1917 - Race riots Anti-Greek - Perth (William Street)
- 1919 - Strike riot - Fremantle
- 1919 - Race riots Anti-Slav riot - Fremantle
- 1920 - Race riots - Japanese vs Malay and Returned servicemen - Broome
- 1923 - Hotel Workers Strike incidents - Perth
- 1924/6 - Seamen's Strike - Fremantle
- 1929 - Mutiny at Fremantle Prison over shaving - Fremantle
- 1932 - 'Treasury Building' incident - Perth
- 1934 - Anti - Italian/Slav Ri - Kalgoorlie *
- 1940/45 - American/Australian Servicement incidents - various locations *
- 1946 - Pilbara Pastoral Strike meetings in Perth - broken up
- 1947-55 - 'Cold War Violence' - incidents between
- CPA, and opponents and police - various locations
- 1957 - Dock strike scuffles and incidents - Fremantle
- 1967+ - Demonstration Anti Vietnam war events until 1970's - various locations
- 1971 - Demonstration Anti Apartheid/Springbok Tour incidents- various locations
- 1974+ - Demonstration "54b of Police Act" incidents - various locations
- 1986 - Schoolies disturbances - Rottnest
- 1988 - Fremantle prison riot and Fire - Fremantle
[edit] Sources
For detailed information on the Phoebe Dunbar event of 1853 see Weaver, Paul (1993) "The voyages of the Robert Small and Phoebe Dunbar in 1853." pages 231-255 in Reece, Bob. Irish Convict Lives. Darlinghurst. Crossing Press.
Researchers (???) into the 1934 Kalgoorlie riots, have noted that the discrepancies between the written sources and oral history sources have been considerable.
[edit] Consequences
Some incidents found in the list above had little consequence beyond punishment of participants. It is possible that others had long term political and social effect.
The 1850 incident saw increase in numbers of police.
There are some suggestions from some sources in the 1934 and 1940/1945 incidents that specific groups were 'getting the girls' and that there was an element of rivalry related to this matter. Marked *
 Crime in Australia |
||
|---|---|---|
| Regional crime: | Timeline | Melbourne | Northern Territory | Western Australia | Sydney | |
| Australian law: | Courts | Criminal law | Law enforcement | |
| Australian people: | Bushrangers | Convicts | Criminals | Murderers | Prisoners | |
| Australian prisons: | ACT | NSW | NT | QLD | SA | TAS | VIC | WA | |
| International: | Crime by country | |
[edit] See also
- Race riot
- Riots
- Civil disorder
- Demonstration
- List of riots
- Prison riot
- Crime in Western Australia
- Crime in Australia
