Sir George Williams affair

The George Williams Computer Riot was a 1969 event at Sir George Williams University in Montreal, Canada. It was the largest student riot in Canadian history.

Beginning on January 29 of 1969 over two-hundred students George Williams occupied the university's computer lab. The occupation was sparked by the universities mishandling of racism allegations against leveled against a professor at the school. Fed up with the administrations intransigence students left a meeting and occupied the university computer lab on the eighth floor of the Henry F. Hall Building.

For most of the occupation things were quite peaceful, the police were not involved, and negotiations continued. The computer lab was not damaged, except for the several million computer punch cards that were sent fluttering to the street below.

The occupation continued until February 11 when negotiations broke down and riot police were called in. A fire broke out in the computer lab forcing out the occupiers, 97 of whom were arrested. The computer lab was destroyed resulting in over two million dollars in damage. The charges against most of the rioters were eventually dismissed.

While it was happening it was a central media event with all of the Canadian television networks filming live from outside the university. The occupation became a key event illustrating the widespread disaffection and rebelliousness among the nation's youth during the 1960s. The occupation lead to greater openness at George Williams, which later merged into Concordia University, and other universities across Canada.

Among the occupiers arrested was Roosevelt Douglas, who went on to become Prime Minister of Dominica and Anne Cools a Canadian Senator.