35 Fascinating Facts about Riots

In the London riots of 2011, the looting and vandalism which took place throughout the city were almost totally avoided by bookshops. One man said his store would probably stay open during the unrest, stating: "If they steal some books, they might actually learn something."

2. During the riots in Ukraine in 2013, St. Michaels Monastery rang all of their bells at once to alert the sleeping city to the violence. The last time all the church bells had been rung at the same time was in 1240 when the Mongols were attacking.

3. In 44 A.D., a Roman soldier started a riot in Jerusalem by bending over and farting in the general direction of the Jews that were celebrating Passover. More than 30,000 people died in the riot.

4. In February 1335, two Oxford University students complained to the bartender of the Swindlestock Tavern about the quality of wine served. The argument turned into a brawl that escalated into a riot that lasted over three days, killing around 30 townsfolk and 63 members of the university.

5. In January 1997, the capital of Ghana rioted over accusations of penis snatching wizards. Several people were killed by mobs who accused them of using magic handshakes to kidnap penises and hold them for ransom.

Ten Cent Beer Night was an MLB game promotion night on June, 4, 1974 during the match between the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, at Cleveland Stadium. The match led to a riot between the teams and fans. Cleveland’s manager sent his team on to the field, with bats, in order to protect the Texas team from drunken fans.

7. During the 1980 New Mexico prison riot, prisoners in protective custody waited for 5 hours while prison gangs cut their way into the cell block with blowtorches and then tortured and killed them. They could have escaped through a rear door, but the guards refused to open it.

8. In 2013, 3000 workers at a garment factory in Gazipur, Bangladesh went on strike, some even rioting, not for better pay or working conditions, but because they wanted something to be done about the ghost inhabiting the bathroom.

9. In 532 A.D. 30,000 rioters were killed and half of Constantinople was destroyed in the Nika Riots, over a conflict with chariot racing.

10. Battle of Brisbane was a 2-night riot between the US military and Aussie military and civilians. Afterward, US Sergeant Bill Bentson said: “It sort of settled down & you go into a pub & an Aussie would come & up & slap me on the back. ‘Oh, wasn't that a good ruckus we had the other night? Have a beer on me.’”

During the Harlem Riot of March 19, 1935, 3 people died and $2 million worth of property was damaged. It started over a complete misunderstanding about something that never happened.

12. In 1922, people rioted over whether it was okay or not to wear a straw hat past the "socially acceptable" date of September 15, in New York. The riot lasted 8 days and led to multiple arrests.

13. In 1921, the largest race riot in US history, the Tulsa riots, completely wiped out one of the wealthiest African-American communities in the country. The incident started and snowballed after a black man accidentally stepped on the foot of a white woman.

14. The Watermelon War was a riot in Panama City (1856) which started because a drunken American wouldn't pay 5 cents for a slice of watermelon. It led to the death of 15 Americans and 2 Panamanians.

15. On Christmas Day 1826, cadets at the US Military Academy at West Point including future Confederacy President Jefferson Davis threw a booze-fueled party, which eventually led to a mutiny that ended with 20 court-martials. It was known as the “Eggnog Riot.”

The cast and crew of Borat nearly started a riot during the filming of the rodeo scene where Borat sings the (made up) Kazakhstan National Anthem to the tune of the American national anthem.

17. The Southern Bread Riots started as protests mostly by women who were protesting huge surges in food costs during the Civil War. The protests culminated into riots in Richmond, Virginia with chants of “bread or blood!” Food prices had soared to prices ten times higher than normal in many instances. Among the items stolen were 500 lbs of bacon.

18. The New York City Police Riot of 1857 was a battle between the recently dissolved Municipal Police and the newly formed Metropolitan Police. Municipals fought Metropolitans attempting to arrest the corrupt Mayor Wood. The situation later required the intervention of the New York State Militia.

19. In Toronto, 1933, an amateur baseball game broke out into a massive race riot when a group of Nazi sympathizers, protesting the Jewish players, unveiled a crude Swastika flag. "A crowd of more than 10,000 citizens, excited by cries of 'Heil Hitler' became suddenly a disorderly mob."

20. During the Stonewall Riots of 1969, the gay rioters responded to the arrival of the tactical riot squad by forming Rockette style kick-lines, and shouting to the tune of Howdy Doody “We are the Stonewall girls/ We wear our hair in curls/ We don't wear underwear/ We show our pubic hairs.”

In 1885, there was a riot in a Scottish churchyard when an old woman tried to give her cat a "Christian burial."

22. In 1840, Russian Peasants rioted against attempts to make them grow potatoes, which they distrusted because potatoes were mentioned in the Bible.

23. In 1983, several riots broke out when people tried to buy Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, which were in high demand and low supply. Some people would attack others with handheld weapons such as baseball bats.

24. In Halifax, Nova Scotia celebrations for the end of World War 2 descended into a 2-day riot as servicemen looted the city. A reporter compared the scene to "London after the Blitz". 65,000 quarts of liquor, 8000 cases of beer, and 1500 cases of wine were 'liberated'. 2 men died of alcohol poisoning.

25. During the Astor Place Riot of 1849, 22-31 people died and over 120 were injured. The riot started over a dispute whether an American or a British actor was the best Shakespearean actor.