Riot at Christie Pits Commemorative Plaque, 2008
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Resource ID
4900
Access
Open
Address
742 Bloor Street West
Credit Line
Heritage Toronto
Date of Creation
2008
Historical Themes
Program Category
Rights
Heritage Toronto
Time Period
Caption
Riot at Christie Pits Commemorative Plaque, 2008
Description
On August 16 1933 at the end of a playoff game for the Toronto junior softball championship one of the city's most violent ethnic clashes broke out in this park (then known as Willowvale Park). Toronto was a predominantly British and Protestant city struggling through the Great Depression and youths in several neighbourhoods were harassing those they considered "foreigners." Widespread prejudice against Jews made them particular targets. Two nights earlier on August 14 fans of the predominantly Jewish "Harbord Playground" team were provoked by local "Pit Gang" members with a makeshift swastika a symbol made familiar by the recent rise to power of the Nazi party in Germany. At the end of the game on August 16 another large swastika was displayed. Jewish fans attacked its bearers. As word of the fight spread reinforcements - including Italian friends of Jewish youths - rushed to the area. The resulting five-hour riot involved baseball bats and iron bars and spilled onto the streets. Though no one was killed Torontonians were shocked by the violence. Mayor Stewart questioned the inadequate response of the Chief of Police to warnings of impending violence and stated that anyone displaying the swastika emblem would be liable to prosecution.
Marker lat / long: 43.663615, -79.419155 (WGS84)