No Popery Riots
No Popery Riots
So called from the head of the movement, Lord George Gordon, they are also sometimes known as the No Popery Riots. They occurred in London , England from 2 June to 9 June 1780 . The “Protestant Association” had prevented the introduction of a Catholic Relief Bill in Scotland, and were encouraged to work for the repeal of the Catholic Relief Bill in England and Canada . Lord George Gordon, president of both the English and the Scotch associations, procured a petition for the repeal of the Relief Bill, signed by more than 30,000 names, and carried it to the House of Commons, 2 June 1780 , accompanied by a huge procession wearing blue cockades and carrying flags with the device “No Popery.” Attacks were made on the property of Catholics , and as the riot spread the prisons were fired and many Protestants suffered. The crowd was finally dispersed by a military force. Lord George Gordon was acquitted. Probably he did not foresee the result of his actions. Some compensation was paid to the Catholics for their losses.