'Mobs riot in West End' - 25 years since the London Poll Tax Riot
The big London Poll Tax riot was 25 years ago today -31 March 1990. Here's a few contemporary newspaper reports (click to enlarge). 'Mobs riot in West End' (Independent on Sunday, 1 April 1990) 'Central London experienced its worst riot this century yesterday as the biggest demonstration against the poll tax turned to violence. At least 113 people, including 45 police were injured... There were at least 300 arrests.... In the heart of London's West End, cars were overturned and set on fire, dozens of shop windows were smashed and their contents looted' 'Tonight the anarchists are celebrating "Our Time" (Evening Standard, 2 April 1990) One of a number of press reports seeking to blame the riots on 'Left wing activists who march beneath the black banner... For more than a decade a small and disparate grouping of punks, misfits, thugs, hardline politicos and animal liberationists have pledged a violent revolution. Under their black flag banners ...