1967 Riviera Beach riot

1967 Riviera Beach riot
Part of Long, hot summer of 1967
DateJuly 30–31, 1967
Location
Caused by
  • James Mitchell's arrest
  • Accusations of police brutality towards Mitchell during his arrest
  • Racial inequality
Parties
Rioters
Lead figures
  • Sheriff of Palm Beach County
  • William Heidtman
Casualties
Arrested45
Damage$350,000 (two warehouses)

The 1967 Riviera Beach riot was one of 159 riots during the Long, hot summer of 1967. It originated at the Blue Heron Bar in Riviera Beach, Florida and involved 400 rioters swarming the establishment. Forty-five people were arrested over the four hours it took to disperse the riot, including 14 teenagers in nearby West Palm Beach who were in possession of bomb-making materials.[1]

  1. ^ Marshall, Barbara (July 28, 2017). "Mobs, fires fueled summer of riots in Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.