26. When New York City Rioted Over Shakespeare
Even after William Charles Macready and his Shakespearean acting troupe had fled from the Astor Place in disguise, the unrest outside the theater kept getting worse and worse. Although the play was over and the hated British actor was long since gone, Edwin Forrest’s rabid fans kept on trying to burn down the theater. To quell the unrest, the authorities called out the militia, who were immediately set upon by the American actor’s supporters, resulting in the injury of many militiamen.
After repeated warnings, the soldiers lined up and opened fire, first into the air, followed by several volleys directly into the riotous crowd. Dozens were killed and wounded. The following night, thousands attended a rally in City Hall Park, where speakers urged them to seek vengeance against the heavy-handed authorities. An angry mob headed up Broadway towards the Astor Place, while others set up improvised barricades from which behind which they fought the militia. By the time order was finally restored, around 30 people had been killed, and over 120 had been injured.
