Straw Hat Riot

Description

The Straw Hat Riot of 1922 was a bizarre event in New York City sparked by an unwritten rule against wearing straw hats after September 15. This date was arbitrary; earlier it had been September 1, but it eventually shifted to mid-month. It was socially acceptable for stockbrokers to destroy each other's hats, due to the fact that they were “companions”, but it was not acceptable for total strangers.

Started, Sept 13, 1922

The riot began on September 13 when youths prematurely started snatching and destroying straw hats, leading to street brawls, especially with dock workers. It lasted eight days, leading to many arrests and some injuries. Over several days, gangs of teenagers armed with sticks roamed the streets attacking hat-wearers, causing injuries and arrests. The tradition of hat-smashing gradually faded as straw boaters fell out of fashion in the 1930s

This group began in the former "Mulberry Bend" area of Manhattan by removing and stomping hats worn by factory workers who were employed in the area. The more innocuous stomping turned into a brawl when the youths tried to stomp a group of dock workers' hats, and the dock workers fought back. The brawl soon stopped traffic on the Manhattan Bridge and was eventually broken up by police, leading to some arrests.

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