Poll Tax Riot Fire | Richard Baker Photography

Poll Tax Riot Fire

Several metres above the ground, a lone protester hangs on to a street light pole near London's Trafalgar Square at the height of the Poll Tax Riot on 31st March 1990, in Westminster, London, England. Angry crowds, demonstrating against Margaret Thatcher's local authority tax, stormed the Whitehall area and then London's West End, starting fires and overturning cars, looting stores up Charing Cross Road and St Martin's Lane. The anti-poll tax rally in central London erupted into the worst riots seen in the city for a century. Forty-five police officers were among the 113 people injured as well as 20 police horses. 340 people were arrested. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)

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Filename: poll_tax_riot08-31-03-1990.jpg
Copyright: Richard Baker
Image Size: 5276x3568 / 4.0MB; 1990 1990s 20th century 90s British England English Thatcherism UK britain bygone civil disorder community charge decade democracy demonstrate destruction disorder era event extreme fire flames government historical history injustice law and order nineteen-nineties nineties past poll tax protest rebellion riot strand taxation times trafalgar square turmoil vandalism violence years youth
Contained in galleries: 1990s

Several metres above the ground, a lone protester hangs on to a street light pole near London's Trafalgar Square at the height of the Poll Tax Riot on 31st March 1990, in Westminster, London, England. Angry crowds, demonstrating against Margaret Thatcher's local authority tax, stormed the Whitehall area and then London's West End, starting fires and overturning cars, looting stores up Charing Cross Road and St Martin's Lane. The anti-poll tax rally in central London erupted into the worst riots seen in the city for a century. Forty-five police officers were among the 113 people injured as well as 20 police horses. 340 people were arrested. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)