The **Trinidad and Tobago Water Riots** was a [nationwide
uprising](List_of_Libertarian_Socialist_Revolutions "wikilink") and
[class war](Class_Struggle "wikilink") over [water](water "wikilink")
use in Port of Spain in the then [British](British_Empire "wikilink")
colony of [Trinidad and
Tobago](Republic_of_Trinidad_and_Tobago "wikilink") in
[1903](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_the_Caribbean "wikilink").

## Background

Port of Spain's bourgeoisie had been known for excessive water waste in
the construction of elaborate fountains and gardens. Engineers in the
1880s observed the over-consumption and recommended expanding the
plumbing network and installing water meters, but this was ignored by
the central government. The concept that water was a [common
resource](Commons "wikilink") to be shared by all and not a [capitalist
commodity](Capitalism "wikilink") became popular among the [lower
classes](Lower_Classes "wikilink"), and efforts to restrict public
participation in debate led to a riot.\[1\]

## Events

The Parliament (The Red House) was attacked with stones and bottles,
windows were smashed and people stormed the parliament, forcing
politicians to hide under tables. Police, [the army and the
navy](Military "wikilink") were all deployed to land soldiers.
[Police](Police "wikilink") massacred 16 protesters and injured 42
(including two teenagers and a child). As protesters stormed the
parliament, it was burned down to the ground.\[2\]

## Results

The riot led to the reinstatement of a [local democratic
council](Democratic_Assembly "wikilink") to manage water affairs.\[3\]

## References

<references />

1.  <https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/the-trinidad-water-riots-of-1903/>
2.  <https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/the-trinidad-water-riots-of-1903/>
3.  <https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/the-trinidad-water-riots-of-1903/>