
10/01/2025
New York City, May 8, 1970 — In the wake of the fatal shootings at Kent State University, tensions over the Vietnam War erupted into violence as student protestors clashed with pro-establishment construction workers in lower Manhattan. The confrontation ignited a cultural and political divide that would go on to reshape partisan identity in the United States.
The incident became known as the “Hard Hat Riot,” a flashpoint in the battle over patriotism, dissent and class identity.
Revisit the story behind this turning point in the new documentary from American Experience — now streaming on the PBS app: https://video.ideastream.org/show/american-experience/