Shooting of Fourmies

the shooting of Fourmies was held the May 1st 1891 . The troop shoots at peaceful strikers. Assessment: nine died, of which Marie Blondeau and 8 people of less than 21 years. She made also 35 wounded.

Context

Old industrial city, the town of Fourmies reached its apogee industrial and demographic at the end of the XIXe century. It counts 16.000 inhabitants then, as a majority of the workmen. In 1891, with the approach of May 1st, one fears strike movements as each year at the same date since in 1886 the American working trade unions decided to make of this day one day of protest. May 1st, ordinary workday thus not been unemployed, became one day of working demonstrations marked traditionally by strikes.

“Preparations”

April 30th, the owners of the city ask and obtain for authorities the sending of military forces intended to repress possible riots. Two companies of the 145 {{E}} regiment of line are sent to Fourmies.

Account of the day

In the morning of May 1st, the majority of the workmen of the city are in strike, and only one spinning mill remains in activity. Workmen strikers approach some in order to oblige the yellows to cease work. First scuffles: the troop charges the strikers, two of them are stopped. The afternoon, the procession of the demonstrators grew bigger and gathers in front of the Town hall to require the release of their comrades. The troop again charges the rioters who hold good and throw stones on the soldiers. In spite of the attempts at conciliation of the mayor like priest (Alfred Margerin), no one cannot prevent that the demonstration does not turn to the drama. To 18:30, an officer gives the order to open fire on crowd. The shooting lasts two or three minutes, but one regrets nine died, (a 30 year old man and eight teenagers from 13 to 20 years - 4 boys and 4 girls) and 33 wounded .

Homages

The national repercussion of the shooting of Fourmies is large. This tragedy is considered, today, like one of the events founders of the French Section of the International worker.

Jean Jaurès goes shortly after to Fourmies to make a speech there.

With the Room, Georges Clémenceau does not have enough hard words to fustigate the attitude of the police force and returns to homage to “these women and these children whose blood for so a long time reddened the paving stone” . He declares moreover: “It is the 4th State which rose. ”

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