1967 Hong Kong riots

1967 Hong Kong riots
Clash between striking tram workers and Hong Kong police officers on 30 August 1967
DateMay – December 1967
Location
MethodsDemonstrations, strikes, assassinations, planting of bombs
Resulted inRiots quelled
  • Government crackdown on pro-CCP groups
  • Pro-CCP publications banned
  • British colonial government retains control of Hong Kong
Parties
Lead figures
Casualties
Death(s)51
Injuries832
Arrested4,979
Convicted1,936
1967 Hong Kong riots
Traditional Chinese六七暴動
Simplified Chinese六七暴动
Literal meaning'67 riots
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinliù-qī bàodòng
Hakka
Romanizationluk5-cit5 bau4tung4
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationluhk-chāt bouhduhng
Jyutpingluk6-cat1 bou6dung6

The 1967 Hong Kong riots were large-scale anti-government riots that occurred in Hong Kong during British colonial rule. Beginning as a minor labour dispute, the demonstrations eventually escalated into protests against the colonial government. The protests were partially inspired by successful anti-colonial demonstrations in Portuguese Macau which had occurred a few months prior.

The use of roadside bombs and petrol bombs by demonstrators prompted the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) to raid the demonstrators' strongholds and arrest their leaders. Fifty-one people were killed in the subsequent violence. As many of the bombs were made in pro-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) schools, then governor David Trench decided to close those schools and ban pro-CCP publications in the colony.

The protests occurred in the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution taking place in the People's Republic of China (mainland China), with many of the protesters harbouring leftist views and sympathies toward the CCP. After the riots, the British Hong Kong government publicly reflected on its failure to address certain social grievances and carried out major social reforms. However, another series of riots would occur in 1981.