Lager Beer Riot - Definition and Overview

The Lager Beer Riot took place in Chicago, Illinois in 1855 after Mayor Levi Boone, nephew of Daniel Boone, proposed an ordinance which would close taverns on Sundays and raise the cost of a liquor license from $50 to $300 per year. This move was seen as targeting German immigrants. On April 21, after several tavern-owners were arrested for selling beer on Sunday, protesters clashed with police near the Cook County Court House. Waves of angry immigrants stormed the downtown area and the mayor ordered the swing bridges opened to stop further waves of protestors from crossing the river. This left some trapped on the bridges, police then fired shots at protesters stuck on the Clark Street Bridge over the Chicago River. Rumors flew throughout the city that some of the protesters were killed, although there is no evidence to support this. The following year, after Boone was turned out of office, the prohibition was repealed.