The next day a crowd of unemployed men and women marched to commissioner Puddester's office. They were followed by the city's uniformed police and plain clothes officers. The Unemployed Committee met with the commissioner. They demanded the right to officially speak for the unemployed men and women of St. John's. Puddester told them the other commissioners would have to agree. Later that day the Committee sent the commissioners a written statement of their demand.

The Commission's reply came out in the newspapers on May 9. The answer was no. Puddester had told the other commissioners the group was demanding too much. He said they wanted complete control of public works projects. This was not true. The Committee was outraged. They had been betrayed.

Hundreds of unemployed men and women gathered in Beck's Cove at 3 p.m. on May 10. Pierce Power told the crowd he had done all he could. He could do no more for them. "You have no boots, no clothes, no underclothing. Some of you are ashamed to come out of your houses on Sundays. You know where there are lots of these things," police reports claim Power told the crowd. Someone at the meeting yelled, "Let us do something. Let us have a parade."²³

Pierce Power and Joseph Milley wrapped a Union Jack flag around their shoulders. They led a thousand people to the Colonial Building. The crowd moved up the steps to enter the building. The police arrived. More than 100 officers faced the unemployed as they stood on the steps. They told the crowd to get back. No one moved. Someone in the crowd threw stones at the police. The officers charged.

Pierce Power was beaten over the head and shoulders with police batons. Police attacked Joseph Milley. They tried to handcuff George Wilkinson, a school teacher and another member of the Committee. He was beaten on the head and wrist with their batons.

The police chased the marchers off the government grounds. Many tried to jump the fence into Bannerman Park. The officers followed, beating anyone who came within their reach.

The protesters fought back by throwing stones. Several officers were hit on the head and in the face. Constable Simmons' teeth were smashed. The Evening Telegram reporter's camera was broken by police. Another newspaper reporter was hit over the head. He bled on the street.

The protesters did not have any weapons with them. Some of them broke up the fence in Bannerman Park. They fought hand to hand with police using the fence pickets as weapons. The police chased men and women down the streets of St. John's. Several women reported they were beaten in the rush. Small groups of men formed. They showered the officers with stones until they were beaten off and forced to return home.