The S.S. Komagata Maru, a Japanese steamship that had brought 376 passengers, mostly Sikhs who were British subjects hoping to settle in Canada, is forced to leave Vancouver after spending two months in port.
Due to laws meant to keep Asian immigrants out of Canada, passengers were denied entry and forced to return to India. Thousands of people cheered from the docks as the ship sailed away. Indian police later killed 19 passengers during a riot that ensued upon the Komagata Maru’s return. The B.C. legislature unanimously passed a motion formally apologizing for the incident on May 23, 2008.
