Great Depression and Aftermath Cold War New Left Contemporary Active Historical The Red Flag riots were a series of violent demonstrations and attacks that occurred in Brisbane, Australia over the course of 1918–19.
[1] The attacks were largely undertaken by returned soldiers from the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and were focused upon socialists and other elements of society that the ex-servicemen considered to be disloyal.
The most notable incident occurred on 24 March 1919, when a crowd of about 8,000 ex-servicemen clashed with police who were preventing them from attacking the Russian Hall in Merivale Street, South Brisbane.
[4] For some, this feeling was confirmed when in September 1918 the War Precautions Act was extended to prohibit the flying of red flags, considered a symbol of the trade union movement, but also associated with Bolshevism.
[4] However, the tensions that had been building since Simonoff's jailing boiled over and three large red flags were subsequently unfurled, along with over one hundred smaller banners, ribbons and handkerchiefs.
Afterwards a large group of soldiers (some of whom were in uniform) broke up a meeting of socialists at North Quay that evening before moving off towards the Russian Hall in Merivale Street, South Brisbane.
[2] The following night, 24 March, a crowd of between 7,000–8,000 men assembled in North Quay, and into Queen and William Street, where speakers began talking about taking the law into their own hands.