Hearst’s Hired Thugs Shut Down Protesting Crowd

In a brazen display of power, the Independent Citizens Committee of Welcome’s rally in Madison Square Garden was violently disrupted by a group of Hearst’s loyalists on January 18, 1919. The meeting, held to give a hero’s welcome to homecoming soldiers, sailors, and Marines, had taken a dark turn as the Committee’s members began to protest William Randolph Hearst’s inclusion in Mayor’s committee. Dr. Manning’s impassioned address had just concluded when suddenly, a chant of ‘Hurrah for Hearst’ erupted from the audience, causing several soldiers and civilians to storm out of the hall in protest. Amidst the chaos, the band’s rendition of ‘America’ was interrupted by cries of ‘Hurrah for Hearst’ once again. The atmosphere grew tense as the crowd was ordered to be seated, but the scene had already turned into a heated confrontation. It was clear that Hearst’s loyalists would not be silenced, and the evening’s events would go down as a dark chapter in the city’s history.