The Shakee Massacre occurred on June 23, 1925 in the Guangzhou area of Guangdong Province, China, and resulted in the death or injury of over 200 Chinese demonstrators from gunfire by British and French soldiers.British, French and Portuguese warships opened fire, killing more than 50 people and injuring more than 170.Among the dead were one 13-year-old child, four students, one teacher, nine merchants, six workers, and 27 students and teachers from the Whampoa Military Academy (including two Russians). In Guangzhou, Zhou Enlai planned demonstrations and strikes under the guidance of the Communist International.
On June 22, 1925, the Guangzhou Conference of Representatives from Various Sectors, organized by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, decided to hold a mass demonstration on June 23. On June 23, the demonstrators proceeded along the pre-determined route. In addition to workers and students, there were also farmers, merchants, and students from the Whampoa Military Academy, and the number of participants was around 50,000 to 60,000. A mass meeting was held at noon, and the atmosphere was very excited. At 1:30 p.m., the march began. The procession shouted slogans and distributed leaflets along the way.
At 2:40 p.m. on June 23, 1925, as the demonstrators marched in an orderly fashion along Shadi, the opposite shore of Shamian Concession, British and French soldiers suddenly ordered their machine guns to be fired at the demonstrators, and a hail of gunfire rang out. British, French and Portuguese warships also fired their guns menacingly, and more than 50 people died on the spot, more than 170 people were seriously injured, and countless people were slightly injured. This was called the Shaki Massacre, and it shocked the world from China. The anti-imperialist sentiment of the people of Guangzhou and Hong Kong grew even more intense. The number of Hong Kong strikers quickly exceeded 250,000, and 130,000 returned to Guangzhou to prepare for a long-term struggle.
