The 1990 poll tax riots

The 1990 poll tax riots were a series of riots in British towns and cities in response to the Community Charge, which was implemented by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government. The largest demonstration took place in central London on Saturday, March 31, 1990, just before the tax was set to go into effect in England and Wales.

According to the BBC, an anti-poll tax march in downtown London has erupted into the city's worst riots in a century. Among the 113 people injured are 45 police officers and 20 police horses. 340 individuals were detained, as cars were overturned and set alight in the heart of London's West End, popular with musical and theatergoers. Four tube stations have been closed for safety concerns as police attempt to clear the streets, and most of central London has been sealed off. Police have been pelted with bricks and cans by protesters. Firefighters attempting to put out the fires have been pelted with wood and stones. Restaurants have been forced to close early due to the violence, which has damaged shop windows and looted many businesses. According to eyewitnesses, there was a plume of black smoke above Trafalgar Square.

Date: 31 March 1990

Location: Trafalgar Square, London

Purpose: Abolition of the poll tax