THIS LOST CHAPTER: Greek community commerates 100th anniversary of Toronto riots



THIS LOST CHAPTER:  Greek community commerates 100th anniversary of Toronto riots

Authored byRyan Patrick Jones, posted August 2, 2018 by CBC - https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/this-lost-chapter-greek-community-to-commemorate-100th-anniversary-of-toronto-riots-1.4770741

Toronto's Greek community is commemorating the 100th anniversary of a weekend-long anti-Greek riot on Thursday.
The Anti-Greek Riots of 1918 took place when hundreds of First World War veterans and their supporters attacked Greek residents and destroyed their businesses in an explosion of anti-immigrant anger and resentment.
The riots lasted for several days and were one of the most violent episodes in the city's history. Today, the community held an event outside city hall to mark those dark days.
"The event is meant to basically let all Torontonians know a little bit about this lost chapter in our history, to explain what happened ... and to also tell people why it matters that we remember what happened to all these Greek Canadians," said Sandra Gionas, chair of the history committee at the Hellenic Heritage Foundation, which is organizing the event. . . .

History of the riots

The riots began in August 1918, when the country was in the final months of the First World War.
On Aug. 1, a crippled veteran named Claude Cludernay was dining at White City Cafe, a Greek-owned restaurant on Yonge Street near Carlton Street. Cludernay was drinking when he started acting belligerently and struck a waiter.
He was subsequently kicked out by staff and arrested.
Cludernay spent two nights in jail, while rumours spread among veterans that one of their own had been mistreated.
The next day, thousands of veterans and their supporters descended upon Yonge Street seeking vengeance.
Over the next several days the mob looted, vandalized and destroyed dozens of Greek-owned businesses, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. Dozens were injured in clashes with police as officers began a crackdown on Aug. 3. . . .

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