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Siege of Sidney Street

The Siege of Sidney Street in London in 1911 is one of the bloodiest gun-fights in British history. Two Latvian revolutionaries held police and troops at bay for several hours as huge crowds watched.

In January 1911, an extraordinary gun-fight took place in the East End of London.

Two Latvian revolutionaries fought off hundreds of British police and troops for hours until their hide-out caught fire. The Home Secretary - Sir Winston Churchill - attended the scene in person.

The Siege of Sidney Street was one of the first big news events caught on film and would start a huge political row over immigration from Eastern Europe.

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10 minutes

Last on

Thu 27 Jan 201111:50GMT

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  • Thu 27 Jan 201105:50GMT
  • Thu 27 Jan 201108:50GMT
  • Thu 27 Jan 201111:50GMT

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