Russian Workingmen, Assembly of

The Assembly of Russian Workingmen was a labor union formed in Russia in the late 19th century. It was created by police agents who aimed to prevent the labor movement from being influenced by revolutionary ideas. The union encouraged workers to focus on economic gains rather than broader social and political issues. In January 1905, the Assembly, led by priest Georgy Gapon, organized a mass demonstration in St. Petersburg. This peaceful march, intended to present workers' grievances to Tsar Nicholas II, turned tragic when troops opened fire, resulting in the event known as Bloody Sunday. This massacre marked the beginning of the violent phase of the Russian Revolution of 1905.12