What begins as a peaceful labor protest in Haymarket Square in
Chicago, Illinois, turns into a riot, leaving more than 100
wounded and 8 police officers dead. After Chicago authorities
arrested and detained nearly every anarchist and socialist in
town, eight men, who were either speakers in or organizers of
the protest, were charged with murder. The day before the riot,
a couple of people were killed and others were wounded in an
unprovoked attack by police officers firing into a crowd of
striking workers at the nearby McCormick Reaper Works. Despite
tension the following day, the crowd at Haymarket Square was
listening quietly to speakers advocating a mandatory eight-hour
workday for employees. As the final speaker was winding the
rally down, police officers forced their way toward the stage to
disperse the crowd, provoking someone to throw a bomb into the
crowd. After the explosion, officers began firing wildly in all
directions, inciting a riot among protestors. About sixty police
officers were wounded and