Bloody Sunday (1887) - Demonstration of 13 November

Demonstration of 13 November

As fears grew that the demonstration would be very large and that police might attack it, Charles Bradlaugh of the National Secular Society advised his members to stay away. However, the Socialist and Radical groups largely maintained their support and their leaders took part. Some 10,000 marchers approached Trafalgar Square from several different directions, led by (among others) Elizabeth Reynolds, John Burns, Annie Besant and Robert Cunninghame-Graham, who were primarily leaders of the Social Democratic Federation. Also marching was the Fabian playwright George Bernard Shaw, who spoke during the demonstrations.

Two thousand police and 400 troops were deployed to halt the demonstration. In the ensuing clashes many demonstrators, including women and children, were badly beaten. Some demonstrators were injured and at least three died of the injuries they received. 200 were treated in hospital. Burns and Cunninghame-Graham were arrested and imprisoned for six weeks. Annie Besant, who was a Marxist, Fabian and secularist, spoke at the rally and offered herself for arrest, but was unable to get the police to respond.

Most of the injuries were inflicted by the police, using fists and truncheons. There were both infantry and cavalry present. Although the infantry were marched into position with bayonets fixed, they were not ordered to open fire and the cavalry were not ordered to draw their swords.