Chinese Americans march in remembrance of immigrants’ expulsion

SEATTLE — Chinese Americans from more than 50 organizations marched down Seattle streets Saturday in remembrance of a grim time in the city.

Today was the 136th anniversary of a riot, in which a mob of people rounded up nearly every Chinese person in Seattle and took them to the waterfront for deportation.

The violence came after the passing of “The Chinese Exclusion Act,” which was the first and only law instituted to prevent all members of a specific ethnic or national group from immigrating to the United States.

“A lot of it brings up feelings and emotions for a lot of Chinese back to that time, a lot of family have history here, a lot of families still have their roots here from when that happened and you know we just want to show unity and solidarity that we never want this to happen again, in any community,” said Ali Lee with United Chinese American.

Those who participated marched to the waterfront from Hing Hay Park, which is where a sculpture will be placed in remembrance of the 1886 riot.

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