Bloody Sunday (1887)
Bloody Sunday was an event which took place in London, England on 13 November 1887, when a crowd of marchers protesting about unemployment and the Irish Coercion Acts, as well as demanding the release of MP William O'Brien, clashed with the Metropolitan Police. The demonstration was organised by the Social Democratic Federation and the Irish National League. Violent clashes took place between the police and demonstrators, many "armed with iron bars, knives, pokers and gas pipes". A contemporary report noted that 400 were arrested and 75 persons were badly injured, including many police, two policemen being stabbed and one protester bayonetted.[1]
For other uses of "Bloody Sunday", see Bloody Sunday (disambiguation).Bloody Sunday
13 November 1887
- Coercion in Ireland
- Unemployment in Ireland
- Arrest and imprisonment of William O'Brien
- Long Depression
- Home Rule in Ireland
- Release of William O'Brien
75 badly injured (all sides)
400
Aftermath[edit]
The following Sunday, 20 November, saw another demonstration and more casualties. According to a report in the partisan Socialist Review, among them was a young clerk named Alfred Linnell,[7] who was run down by a police horse, dying in hospital a fortnight later from complications of a shattered thigh.[8]
The funeral of Linnell on 18 December provided another focus for the unemployed and Irish movements. William Morris, leader of the Socialist League, gave the main speech and "advocated a holy war to prevent London from being turned into a huge prison".[9] A smaller but similar event marked the burial of another of those killed, W. B. Curner, which took place in January. The release of those imprisoned was celebrated on 20 February 1888, with a large public meeting. Henry Hyndman, leader of the SDF, violently denounced the Liberal Party and the Radical MPs who were present.