Peterloo and the recent anti-protest bill
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Through exploring the Tameside strike I wanted to look at
other protests that have had notable significance in the past, the first I
think is important to explore is the Peterloo Massacre.
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The massacre took place in 1819 at St.Peter’s field now known
as St. Peter’s square in Manchester. A crowd of around 80,000 people gathered
to peacefully protest the reform in parliament, the working people had
constantly been let down by the people in power and needed proper
representation in the courts so that their issues were valued as much as those
in the higher classes. This grew popular among northern towns, especially in Manchester
where handloom weavers had had their wages cut so low they were now paupers. Henry Hunt was the main speaker and had been travelling around
the country speaking of the reform needed, he was a farmer and believed in
radical change for the people. Shortly after his speech had started a band of
yeomanry on horses with sharpened sabres attacked the crowd and then followed
the regular army who pursued people in the streets after they had left. Rioting started later in the evening around New Cross where
the police then open fired, at least 18 people died and many were severely
injured. The poet Shelley wrote a poem in response titled ‘The Masque of
Anarchy’ which was published in 1832 and grew popular among socialist
meetings. It is sometimes difficult to believe that the people in
power who are supposed to be looking after us would commit crimes like these
but they only look after themselves and their fellow elites. We can see through
today’s passing of the anti-protest bill that the Tory government care as much
about the working-classes as they did in 1819. The recent bill in effect means
I would fully understand measures of protesting during a pandemic but none of these new laws have anything to do with being in a crowd. |
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