Bristol Riots

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There have been a number of significant riots in the city of Bristol in England.

1 Bristol Bridge Riot, 1793
2 Queen Square Riots, 1831
3 St Pauls riot, 1980
4 Hartcliffe 1992
5 References
6 See also

[edit] Bristol Bridge Riot, 1793

The Bristol Bridge Riot of 30th September 1793 began as a protest at renewal of an act levying of tolls on Bristol Bridge, which included the proposal to demolish several houses near the bridge in order to create a new access road, and controversy about the date for removal of gates.^[1] 11 people were killed and 45 injured, making it one of the worst riots of the 18th century.^[2]

[edit] Queen Square Riots, 1831

The Bristol Riots of 1831 took place after the House of Lords rejected the second Reform Bill, which aimed to get rid of some of the rotten boroughs and give Britain's fast growing industrial towns such as Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Bradford and Leeds, greater representation in the House of Commons. Bristol had been represented in the House of Commons since 1295, however by 1830 only 6,000 of the 104,000 population had the vote.^[3]

Local magistrate Sir Charles Wetherall, a strong opponent of the Bill, visited Bristol to open the new Assize Courts, on the 29th of October. He threatened to imprison participants in a disturbance going on outside, and an angry mob chased him to the Mansion House in Queen Square. The magistrate escaped in disguise but the mayor and officials were besieged in the Mansion-house.^[4]

The rioters numbered about 500 or 600 young men and continued for three days, during which the palace of the Bishop of Bristol, the mansion of the Lord Mayor of Bristol, and private homes and property were looted and destroyed. Work on the Clifton Suspension Bridge was halted and Isambard Kingdom Brunel himself was sworn in as a special constable.^[5]

Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Brereton of the Dragoons led a charge with drawn swords through the mob in Queen Square. Hundreds were killed and wounded and the mob dispersed. Brereton was later court-martialled for leniency because he had refused to open fire on the crowds, but shot himself before the conclusion of the trial.^[5] Four men were hanged despite a petition of 10,000 Bristolian signatures which was given to King William IV.^[6]

[edit] St Pauls riot, 1980

The St Pauls riot started in a in St Pauls, Bristol, England.

On the April 2, 1980 the police carried out a raid on the Black and White Café located on Grosvernor Road in the heart of St Pauls. It is unclear why the riot started either due to the police ripping a customer's trousers and refusing to pay ^[7] or they were simply attacked as they removed alcohol from the café. The riot continued for many hours and caused large amounts of damage including a Lloyds Bank and post office. Several fire engines and twelve police cars were damaged along with the shops. One-hundred-and-thirty people were arrested. The next day the Daily Telegraph headlined with, "19 Police Hurt in Black Riot" and blamed lack of parental care ^[8]. It is now thought that poverty and the Sus laws were more important causes of the riots than race. The café had a notorious reputation as a drug den and was raided more times by the police than any other premises in the country^[9]. The council used its powers of compulsory purchase and the building has now been demolished.

[edit] Hartcliffe 1992

In July 16th 1992 there was a riot in Hartcliffe estate after two bike thieves were killed in a chase with a police patrol car. The disturbance lasted for 3 days. Police were stoned and shops attacked. ^[10]