Trafalgar Square Riot (1913)

[millers3888]

I assume there was only one hat store...

[tomorelli]

What are you basing that on? The solitary riots that occurred in August? And i don't see the point in bringing up their race given there were plenty of white people rioting then. Violence has declined constantly throughout the last century, so I'd say times are getting better.

[discocreator76]

How sad is it that in those days, most of the rioters were decent whites, fighting for what is right, fighting for a good cause, these days, rioters are mostly black or asian, are using violence and are fighting for no good reason at all... how times have changed (for the worse)...

[danvonranger]

I can't help noticing subtle differences between the 'riots' depicted here and the ones we had in London recently :-).

[lightowler111]

you wait an hour for a bus then 6 come along at once, nothings changed much in 100 years

[garply101]

I like the guy with the bowler hat and cane strolling like a boss.

[sibeliandrift]

That's a RIOT? Wow.  I wonder what wars were like.

[CrashOverideHTP]

That one guy with the cane and the Derby Hat just didnt give a fuck! lol. But seriously this is a really neat video.

[zilbiol]

@CrashOverideHTP english gentlemen always looked mint and never lost their cool

[Rapchaid]

Riots have come such a long way since those days

[lokiop345]

amazing footage of miss pankhurst

[ZamolxisReborn]

haha, a riot?! THIS isn't a riot!

.

the damn brits are out for some afternoon tea....

[Verooo777]

seriously, people today do NOT wear enough hats

[LilyStyla]

TRAFALGAR SQUARE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE!

[verdew8181]

Herstory!

[chanctonbury63]

Amazing those `omnibuses` didnt just topple over. Maybe they did?

[CommentorX]

In 1913, black people had to riot in a different spot than whites.

/

In this case, Birmingham.

[phamjohnny11]

all of them r dead

[tomsega]

I love how tame this riot is by modern standards!

[russfern]

all well dressed .. no scanty clothes

[emmers57]

My God, but the british riot politely.

[chanctonbury63]

@emmers57 not any more!

[yelloworangered]

Wonderful to see this. These women were so brave - did you know that Gandhi was inspired by the Pankhursts' example? He watched their tactics for suffrage and adapted them to create his own ideas of non-violent resistance. This bit of history has largely been ignored. Gandhi is revered and the Suffragists are mocked in most places. Strange, isn't it?

[realgunslinger]

Hats

[paranoidpaul1]

i think all people with bad manners should be shot,except for buster blood vessel cos he can't help himself. 

[MrGezamo]

Then, the police were the pride of Britain, with respect from all and doing their duty and not being hampered by stupid laws. Today, i watch videos of people giving death threats to the police and attacking them, and not being able to do anything back because of over the top human right laws. Its sad and scary to know their society was better then ours are nearly 98 years on. the rioters of these times would of been horrified by the violence shown in ours today.

[MrGezamo]

Then, the police were the pride of Britain, with respect from all and doing their duty and not being hampered by stupid laws. Today, i watch videos of people giving death threats to the police and attacking them, and not being able to do anything back becau

[richardsbrandonuca]

It is forgotten that many men did not have the vote in the UK either. Some facts:-

Reform Act 1832:- Resulted in 15% males having the vote.

Representation of the People Act 1884:- Increased suffrage but still over 40% of males did not have the vote.

Representation of the People Act 1918:- Universal suffrage for males over 21 females over 30.

Representation of the People Act 1928 - Votes for all over 21.

In photos the policemen arresting the suffragettes did not have the vote either.

[TheSolitaryHeart]

@richardsbrandonuca But still to deny an entire group of people not to be allowed to vote based purely on their gender is disgusting. These women were brave and corageous souls.

[richardsbrandonuca]

@TheSolitaryHeart

But denying a whole group of people the vote cause of their social class, ie working class men, or forcing a whole group of people off to a murderous War because of their gender is not a problem for you? (nearly 1 million British men died in WW1, 30,000 on the 1st day of the Battle of the Somme alone).

Stop applying a 21st Century moral lens to events of 100yrs ago. Unless of course a petty foot soldier in a gender war, which would seem you are.

[richardsbrandonuca]

@TheSolitaryHeart

re: "These women were brave and corageous souls."

Courageous upper class souls who cared little about votes for lower class men, and were part of the recruiting drive to send men off to war and die. Lets not forget the White Feather Campaign either. Read about Pankhurst more deeply.

(Just thought I apply the same lens you felt fit to use)

[TheSolitaryHeart]

@richardsbrandonuca How do you know? Did you travel back in time in your tardis and speak to all these women individually? Either that or you have a crystal ball. You genius.

[richardsbrandonuca]

@TheSolitaryHeart Is that actaully intended to be a serious response? Good grief.

[TheSolitaryHeart]

@richardsbrandonuca No not really. Well perhaps, half-heartedly. I have this thing called a life you see. I just saw a comment typed by an overly self-important cyber intellectual and I thought I would give my opinion. That's all.

[ZimbaZumba]

@TheSolitaryHeart

ROTFL, You start an argument, get creamed then resort to insults. You go girl, give 'im heck.

[TheSolitaryHeart]

@ZimbaZumba It's only an argument if you choose to respond. "You go girl" Don't go sweet on me.

[Mascherina1964]

@richardsbrandonuca The jockey who rode over the suffragette at the races did not have the vote either: he was part of the King's stables, and servants of the aristocracy were denied suffrage. FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

[richardsbrandonuca]

@Mascherina1964 Good points, well said.

[oOKIERANOo95]

@19smokey19 I agree

[ubreakinmepatlisa]

I'm in no waying denying every adult's right to be able to vote for the corrupt, self-serving, party line-toeing imbecile of their choice, however, has anyone noticed the trend of women demanding to be part of something, then that something immediately turning to crap?

[rubysson57]

The same people who frown on the 1950s as old fashioned and oppressive to women and poor people often go on to cite medievial muslims as decent and disciplined people (lol). They also cite the early commonwealth immigrants as 'well behaved and law abiding', forgetting that when they came over here they were in far smaller numbers and that that success was in actual part to the Empire's long held civilising influence. To this day many old commonwealth countries rule by the 1950s model.

[windysan]

The British sure have polite riots.

[haybee12]

@windysan not them all, watch "peterloo massacre manchester" working class butchered by troops

[katakisLives]

Amazing street scenes.

[charliebarosio]

Why didn't the Britlanders just shoot them all like they do every where that they are pillaging?

[19smokey19]

the police were tough then, not little pussys like they are now...

[neil73]

VOTES FOR WOMEN! Ooops! Im 97 years late!

[coolcoolcoolest]

I love how everyone are so well dress for a riot, if you look at today's riot like at the G20 in Toronto. People are almost naked

[funfabmegan]

oh my goodness..what wonderfully preserved footage of a most historical event. The clarity is still perfect. And you can clearly see the emotion in peoples faces..man its amazing to take a peek lookin back.

[1979LITTLEMISS]

I never know whether to be thankful to the suffragettes for giving us women more rights, or to hate them for making us have to look after the house and family AND go to work!!!

[TheWhitehall]

Nostalgic to see films of "Old" London. An age when our capital was still largely populated by indigenous people and not as today "home" to so many from far and wide. A more gentle and peaceful time.

[badgeless]

@TheWhitehall

you're all "from far and wide." for various reasons your ancestors came from somewhere else. If you want to recognize anyone for being "indigenous" the Danes have more of a claim than anyone. Even they came "from far and wide"

[TheWhitehall]

@TheWhitehall If you take an discussion/debate back far enough, it could be argued that the human being evolved from sea life!

The simple fact being, that in less than a human lifetime, the population of the UK particuarly that of major cities,none more so than London, has become a global melting pot. And has altered in a relatively short time,the make up of our Country. My own linage can be traced to Lincolnshire and Northumberland. Britain, geographically is a mid northern european nation .

[wla7777]

so scary to ride bus like this ))

[HernanCortes1521]

How many of the young people in this film died during the Ist or 2nd world wars? People couldn't have imagined the horrors yet to come and itsconsequences.

[wla7777]

@HernanCortes1521 USSR imagened the whole horror of both wars! more than 20 million USSR citizens died just in Second World War!!

[BeeRich33]

Definitely unruly! My word!

[benisnowsober]

CRack

[AmariSings]

should of stuck to the washing and ironing for fuck sake ٩ (̾●̮̮̃̾•̃̾)۶

[youtubister]

Amazing footage, especially the bit where the police are seen escorting Sylvia Pankhurst away.

Go BFIfilms.

[pete6256]

Haha! Loved the bit at the end when the backlog of buses just started ploughing through the crowd. The BFI are legends.

[DozaSlayer]

wanna hear a joke?

women's rights

HAHAHA

[danceheavon]

i think only women should vote. they have no idea about it and it dont matter anyway.

[britbabe1]

Well that is a valid point. But us feminists have a long way to go. This is particularly as women are still objects and chatels of men.

[voxfox1991]

oh shut up fucking moaning ,you women are always bragging how you can make your own desicions so dont give me all the objects of men bollocks . you can decide for yourself who you want to sleep with knowones forcing you.

and if you hate men that much become a lesbian.

[0501tyson]

@voxfox1991 get fuck we could run the world blind.all you man think of is sex if your not haveing it you"s are thinking way of getting.know wonder there more lesbian out there and yes i am one of them WOMENS RIGHT!!!

[kennethj1956]

Jerry bombed the daylights out of this place...good thing too you know; with it getting all run-down and shabby. Saved us the trouble & cost of having it demolished.

[olebaj]

if you were hat business you were a millionaire

[jnmklo9]

Britbabe I have been working in Britain for 39 years I am from Longsight in Manchester and grew up very poor, but I am working class, not because we had nowt growing up,but because we work hard.

So called middle class work hard too, a lot of so called working class are on benefits nowadays and the culture of work is deminitioned I feel. Making remarks about class distinction is a folly - education is key to a fulfilling life.

[britbabe1]

Elerline Pankhurst though brave, was nevertheless a middle class philanthropist on a middle class campaign for middle class women. Working class women do have a right to vote. but many don't use it as they view it has no benefit to them and their lives.

[vivascargill]

@britbabe SLYVIA Pankhurst championed WORKING CLASS women!! Interesting comment my aunt a union organizer had no use for the vote--nevertheless even if it has no benefit, it Is a intolerable humiliation to be denied the right to vote the way women (esp working class women) were or black people in The American south.

[DadsBlueAngel]

Actually, abuse of women and girls was very very common in the servant class, and unwed mothers were the rule before marriage, if they were able to marry. Their children, if their fathers were well off were either kept in the family nursery with the legitimate children (if the mother was a servant) or sent home to the village to be cared for by relatives. Many went to Utah via a fund that paid for a ticket that included food and was paid into when the mothers were married and able to marry.

[agentk1986]

And people wonder why Utah is the way it is now...

[britbabe1]

@agentk1986And where is the support for the BA flight attendants' strike? Most of these are poorly paid women. It is ironic that they're strike is being lead by men!

[smmeegal]

People didn't care about unwed mothers back then or now, your baby would have been given 2deserving married people & u wid b thrown in a sinbin run by nuns & enslaved with domestic drudgery if your family disowned u which was v likely. Now unwed mothers can attempt 2 keep their kids & the domestic drudgery & poverty r kept nicely hidden away in the 1parent homes which r demonised as the root cause of societys ills lol breakdown of community,family, economy are all linked & is part of the agenda.

[whereitsat309]

...oh stop being whingeing "victim" and get off your knees.

[soudyman]

can someone tell me what they were rioting about it looked like a protest more than a riot tho not much damage and fighting going on

[BLOWMEV8]

all ppl are equal its just that some do better then others and through out history both men and wemon have done great and stupid things

open your mind! and i wonder if your wife knows you wrote this?????

[Christinepeake]

mmm, I agree and a ridiculous number of men such as leesetters who cannot spell, thank the Lord for smart women.

[9Fabian]

1913, little did they know how all their lives were about to change!

[zupantrzyglowa]

Too right, how many mad single mother broken families and lesbian converts have brought downfall of our model civilized society?

[BLOWMEV8]

Too right, how many mad single mother broken families and lesbian converts have brought downfall of our model civilized society?

WTF???? you play medievil sword fighting????

you are a dork that dosent want to live in this world...fantasy land man

[glantz91]

Wonder why your comment is rejected, are we really in medieval time!?

[beefnotfish]

Well, Thats kind of a loaded question. Years ago when girls were shamed when they were unwed and pregnant, people actually cared. Now, its matter of fact. About half of babies born are to unwed mothers. The fact that these kids are brought up outside of a traditional family setting may not be a bad thing in and of itself, but it's gotten to the point with broken homes&absent parents as "the norm" that society IS Crumbling , whether or not you want to admit it. And THAT's whats a sad disgrace!

[neil73]

@beefnotfish Partly true, but back then if a girl was 'shamed', she and baby ended up in the Workhouse - a fate literaly worse than death!

[codelocator]

@beefnotfish

Your stable society always an illusion. 

[GenghisKhan44]

@codelocator The idea that prosperity can be found in little strips of paper that cant' be eaten, can't be used as clothing or shelter, and can't be used when you're dead and gone is always an illusion.

[codelocator]

@GenghisKhan44

Well, I suppose it is. The solidity and permanence of objects, that's another illusion. Feel free to post your own illusion. 

[GenghisKhan44]

@codelocator One thing, and one thing alone is permanent: God. At His hands, even existence itself is questionable.

[codelocator]

@GenghisKhan44

It's questionable with or without a god. Reason is more admirable than belief.

[GenghisKhan44]

@codelocator Actually, the fact that you know you exist proves at very least that you exist. If you did not sense anything, not even your own self, you would not exist.

Truly most humanists, rationalists, and college students place their faith in science, money, and their teachers. This is not completely a bad thing, but I would not call reading something from a textbook, no matter how reputable, and believing what is in that book, reason. It's faith. Faith that you are not being lied to.

[codelocator]

@GenghisKhan44

You're confusing that application of reason and probability with faith. They're not the same. Descartes was at least right about that.

[GenghisKhan44]

@codelocator Actually, faith is very useful when applied. Consider the fertility rate, for example. Modern Western education is for the most part irreligious, yes? Generally, the more "education" one has 1) the more monetary income you generate, 2) the less religious one is, and 3) the fewer children you have. Given the statistics, the richer, less religious populace of the West, China, and Japan will suffer from a drastic population decrease in decades to come.

[GenghisKhan44]

@codelocator However, the more religious you are, the less income you make, and the higher your fertility rate. This means that religious populations (the Moslems, Hispanic Catholics, and the like) are more likely to flourish in terms of population. The point? Ultimately irreligiosity results in a higher GDP, but religion results in a larger population, and money is useless unless there are people to make it useful, so I will keep my faith and your can keep your technology and money.

[GenghisKhan44]

@codelocator As for me and religious faith, I believe in a God that led my forefathers out of Egypt, to a land of promise, and ultimately gave salvation to the world. In a world that thinks it has uncovered many of the mysteries of the natural world, it is tragic that it no longer appreciates the One who made these phenomenons possible. Many of the pioneering scientists like Newton and Copernicus sought to use science not to distance man from God, but to bring him closer.

[cromlek]

@beefnotfish piss off with your old moralist dogma. ( I was first going to suggest you drop dead, but with an outdated attittude like yours you probably already have. )

[jamierourketen]

mad to think that women where thought of as not smart enough not to be able to vote!

[krogers1048]

harods must be having a big sale

[CanCanPooPoo]

Way to downplay one of history's biggest political movements.

[Sol1forskibadee]

haha

[LukasDiSparrow]

i really wonder how world is going to look like in 100 years... we will never see it :(

[Phranky]

Speak for yourself. I'm going to kick death in the balls when it comes for me.

[psuedosurfer]

I remember the so called Poll tax riot's in the 90's I was there, the Police were 'gunning' for one and all,they Implemented agitators to justify their brutality, and again the criminal justice bill act protests later went the same way.

Thanks for uploading.

[cyclepod1]

My brother was 'on a date' at the Poll Tax Riot Day.. he bumped into it.

[GARYMOORE1952no1fan]

brilliant vid

[eternalwanker]

I think that those poor ladies would have shot themselves in the head if they knew what the female suffrage has led to.

[Squeaky4CC]

looks like a christmas sale rush rather than a riot

[Commentarian1]

didn't look like much of a riot

[sweetcatatoniauk]

00:39 "It may be a riot but it's certainly not going to stop me walking with my cane"

[Sibelius92]

Thank goodness for the BFI making this sort of thing available. Wonderful stuff.

[chrisconil]

thanks for preserving old footage with an interesting point of view, can one use it as ref on new stuff! Chris

[bundleHastings]

Pity you didnt put the word suffrage in the title, more people would see it then, who are searing for it!

[BFIfilms]

Thanks for your message. We always use the original title of the film, not a description of its contents. However the words 'suffrage' and 'suffragettes' are both tag words that we have allocated so users should find the film that way.

[praskovia13]

wouldn't be so bad if any of em today were worth voting for!!