The Réveillon riots

The Réveillon riots happened between 26–29 April 1789.  Jean-Baptiste Réveillon had led a successful life using money from his wife’s dowry to create a wallpaper factory in the Faubourg Saint.Antoine district of Paris.  Réveillon business flourished as the rich devoured his fine prints soon he had the money to build a mansion next to his bustling factory.

It seems Réveillon’s success might have come at the expense of his tact.  Rumours suggested that Réveillon had declared that perhaps in these times of economic crisis and rising food prices that the workers could be paid less and this would encourage general prices to fall.  This early form of monetarism found no favour amongst the inhabitants of the district.

Protestors began to gather around Réveillon’s factory.  They attacked and burned his mansion and did likewise to all of his stocks they could find. Troops were sent to restore order on the streets.  There were a series of running battles between the protesters hurling whatever they could find and the soldiers.

Réveillon was forced to make his escape over a wall and headed towards England.  Blood had been spilled in the streets of France in the name of bread.