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One For The Road: The Haymarket Affair

By Samantha Abernethy in Arts & Entertainment on May 4, 2012 10:40PM

2012_05_04_haymarket.png On this date in 1886, a bomb was tossed into a crowd in Haymarket Square, sparking police to open fire, turning a tame protest into a bloodbath.

To refresh your memory, here's what happened. The Tribune writes:

Because the turnout was much smaller than organizers had hoped for, the speakers platform was moved to a wagon on Desplaines Street, a half-block from the Haymarket. Mayor Carter Harrison, who had listened to some of the speeches, told Police Inspector John Bonfield that the gathering was "tame."

But once the mayor left, Bonfield quick-stepped 178 policemen to the meeting site and ordered the crowd to disperse. Suddenly, a bomb was tossed over the heads of the crowd and exploded in the midst of the officers. One policeman was killed almost instantly. The others opened fire. In all, eight policemen died and 59 were wounded. At least four civilians, and perhaps as many as 10, were killed, and 30 or more were wounded.

Last year to mark the 125th anniversary of the riots, a reenactment was held, "minus the part where a bunch of people died." See photos from the event in last year's gallery.