August 19 – Christie Pits Community BBQ – 85 Years of Toronto Antifascism!
To commemorate the 84th anniversary of the Christie Pits Uprising against racism and fascism, the Toronto IWW General Defence Committee Local 28, in partnership with other community members and organizations, is hosting a family-friendly community BBQ on Sunday, August 19th, from 11am to 4pm. Join us in Christie Pits Park – the location of the baseball game where the uprising began – for food, friends, and solidarity against fascism.
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In 1933, six months after Adolf Hitler took power in Germany, the effects of this administration could be felt across the world. In Toronto, Jews were institutionally excluded from summer resorts outside of the city. The Jewish population at the time was predominantly working-class, and would spend their summers making use of the city’s various amenities. This sparked a backlash from the more racist and xenophobic residents of Toronto, who formed “Swastika Clubs,” whose purpose it was to marginalize Jews and others, and threaten them with violence.
On August 16th, at a community baseball game involving a largely Jewish and Italian team, a “Swastika Club” displayed a huge blanket featuring the hateful symbol of the Nazi Party. This was not the first time the symbol had been displayed at Christie Pits, and the police made no effort to prevent it. Frustrated at the police’s willingness to let open displays of hatred and incitement of violence slide, Jewish and Italian community members took matters into their own hands. In the spirit of community self-defence, they rushed to the Swastika display to destroy it, and the resulting street-fighting, which lasted until 2:00 AM, became known as the Christie Pits Riot. The police did nothing.
After this event, the mayor of Toronto warned against displaying the Swastika, and no further riots occurred. Had the Jewish and Italian people not stood up for themselves that day, there is no telling how far these “Swastika Clubs” would have gone.
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The open organizing of fascists and white nationalists on-the-ground in Toronto and their harassment of Black, Muslim, Jewish, and transgender people in the GTA (and the similar lack of police response to this hate and bigotry) demonstrates once again the need for the spirit of solidarity and community self-defence among the city’s communities. We must look back at the struggles of days past, and toward a future free from racism, anti-semitism, anti-migrant, anti-Muslim, anti-indigenous, anti-black, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate.
This event will be child-friendly and we welcome and encourage families to come out. We will be in a picnic area next to the playground. Some food will be provided by the Apple Crisp Action Brigade – a food serve group affiliated with IWW GDC local 28 – but potluck dishes are more than welcome, and we are in the process of securing a barbecue for the event. We will have a few speakers from various groups united in solidarity against racism and fascism, and hopefully live music (we’re working on it!). Come by to eat, play ball, toss a frisbee, bring your acoustic instruments, and help to strengthen our community with food and friends!
