On this day, 7 January 1919, the series of events known as the Tragic Week in Argentina began. Maritime workers at the port of Buenos Aires voted to strike for better pay and shorter hours while police at the nearby British-owned Vasena plant attacked striking metalworkers, killing five and wounding 20. Over the next few days, strikes spread through the city while riots broke out and workers seized arms. Meanwhile police and soldiers fought workers while right-wing mobs launched pogroms, attacking Jewish areas and beating and murdering Jews, whom the antisemites associated with anarchists and communists. In crushing the rebellion, troops killed 100-700 people, injured 400-2,000 and imprisoned over 50,000.
Pictured: workers’ funerals during the Tragic Week https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1893920687459739/?type=3
