Taking Back Our Stolen History
The 1871 Chinese massacre in Los Angeles
The 1871 Chinese massacre in Los Angeles

The 1871 Chinese massacre in Los Angeles

On Oct. 24, 1871, a mob of 500 men raided Chinatown in Los Angeles, killing at least 20 Chinese Americans and stealing an estimated $1.5 million worth of property. The killings were in response to a shootout that had taken place the same day that killed police Officer Robert Thompson. The shootout caused a commotion, and people began shouting that the Chinese were killing white people, so chaos ensued. It was the start of a decade of violence against Asian American communities in the US and led to the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which prohibited all immigration of Chinese laborers.

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