The Rice Riots were the biggest, most violent and widespread in modern Japanese history. The first protest happened in the small fishing town of Uozu in Toyama Prefecture, on 23 July 1918. Starting with peaceful petitioning, the protest quickly grew into riots, strikes, looting, incendiary bombings of police stations and government offices and into armed fights. By mid-September 1918, over 623 protests and or riots had happened in 38 cities, 153 towns and 177 villages, with over 2 million people taking part in them. 25,000 people were arrested, and 8200 were convicted of crimes. Punishments were given including minor fines and up to the death penalty.