El Cajon Boulevard Riot
Encyclopedia
The El Cajon Boulevard Riot was the official name of what the San Diego Union called the Drag Strip Riot. Socialists consider the El Cajon Boulevard Riot one of the first major youth riots of the 1960s.
, an unused United States Navy
airfield, to drag racing
. The drag racing had been organized by the San Diego Timing Association, a local group of hot rod
clubs, but was unauthorized. The Navy and the police looked the other way because Hourglass Field was the only off-street venue available for drag racing at the time. On August 8, 1960, three (possibly four) bystanders were injured during a drag race. The Navy had been under some pressure to crack down on the drag racing and shut down the airfield to drag racing after the accident.
This led to an organized mass protest the night of August 20 and 21 at the intersection of El Cajon Boulevard and Cherokee Street in San Diego. The crowd of about 3,000 teenagers and adults blocked three blocks of El Cajon Boulevard (one of San Diego's major east-west thoroughfares) and began holding impromptu drag races with just enough room for cars to race two-abreast down the street. When police arrived to disperse the crowd, a large number of protesters fought back, pelting officers with rocks and bottles and attempting to overturn police cars.
About
The riot began during the evening of August 20, 1960 as an organized protest over the closing of Hourglass FieldHourglass Field
Hourglass Field was the popular name for an auxiliary landing field operated by the United States Navy before and during World War II in the northern part of San Diego, California. It is remembered as a racetrack in the regional road racing circuit and because a crackdown on unauthorized drag...
, an unused United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
airfield, to drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
. The drag racing had been organized by the San Diego Timing Association, a local group of hot rod
Hot rod
Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or...
clubs, but was unauthorized. The Navy and the police looked the other way because Hourglass Field was the only off-street venue available for drag racing at the time. On August 8, 1960, three (possibly four) bystanders were injured during a drag race. The Navy had been under some pressure to crack down on the drag racing and shut down the airfield to drag racing after the accident.
This led to an organized mass protest the night of August 20 and 21 at the intersection of El Cajon Boulevard and Cherokee Street in San Diego. The crowd of about 3,000 teenagers and adults blocked three blocks of El Cajon Boulevard (one of San Diego's major east-west thoroughfares) and began holding impromptu drag races with just enough room for cars to race two-abreast down the street. When police arrived to disperse the crowd, a large number of protesters fought back, pelting officers with rocks and bottles and attempting to overturn police cars.