Today in Labor History May 15, 1912: French police gunned down Andre Rene Valet (1890-1912) and Octave Garnier (1889-1912), of the anarchist Bonnot Gang. The two were the last of the gang to be killed (or apprehended). They were attacked by 300 policemen and gendarmes, plus 800 soldiers. Yet even this was not enough to apprehend them. So, the cops set off a bomb that killed Garnier. Valet continued fighting, despite his mortal wounds. In the aftermath, the authorities went on a witch hunt, rounding up anarchists and labor activists throughout France, much like the Palmer raids in the U.S.
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