Red Square
The first demonstrator to die in Great Britain for over half a century during the Red Lion Square disorders of June 1974.
The Red Lion Square disorders of 15 June 1974 marked a violent clash between far-right and anti-fascist demonstrators in London, resulting in a single fatality that became a flashpoint in British political history. A student who was not a member of any political organization and was attending his first public demonstration died from a head injury sustained during the confrontation. His death sparked a public inquiry led by Lord Scarman and remains the first recorded death in a public demonstration in Great Britain for at least 55 years.
- Location
- Red Lion Square, London
- Date
- 15 June 1974
- Victim
- Unnamed student (born 18 September 1953)
- Cause of Death
- Head injury (cause unknown: deliberate or accidental)
- Police Deployed
- 923 total (711 foot-police, 25 mounted)
- Demonstrators
- National Front (~900); Liberation counter-demonstration (1,000–1,500)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
On 15 June 1974, the National Front held a march through central London supporting compulsory repatriation of immigrants, ending at Conway Hall. Liberation, an anti-colonial group increasingly infiltrated by hard-left activists like those from the International Marxist Group (IMG), planned a counter-demonstration. The police had initially feared no violence from Liberation, but the IMG was determined to picket Conway Hall's front entrance. When the Liberation march reached Red Lion Square, the IMG twice charged the police cordon blocking access to the hall. Police reinforcements, including mounted units and 112 officers from the Special Patrol Group (SPG), forced rioting demonstrators out of the square. As people moved away, a young man was found unconscious on the ground.
In Their Own Story
Kevin Gately, a 20-year-old mathematics student from Kingston upon Thames standing between 6 feet 7 inches and 6 feet 9 inches tall with red hair, joined students from the University of Warwick for his first political march. He arrived in Red Lion Square as part of the Liberation counter-demonstration, which numbered between 1,000 and 1,500 people. The scene escalated when the IMG charged police cordons twice before reinforcements including two mounted units and four SPG units intervened. Amidst the chaos that forced demonstrators out of the square, Gately was found unconscious on the ground. He was taken to hospital but died later that day. Lord Scarman's subsequent inquiry found no evidence that police killed him, concluding instead that "those who started the riot carry a measure of moral responsibility for his death; and the responsibility is a heavy one," while noting some fault with police actions.
Reader's Guide
The Red Lion Square disorders occurred on 15 June 1974 involving a National Front march and an anti-fascist counter-demonstration. Key locations included Conway Hall, where both groups planned meetings, and the surrounding square where 923 police officers were deployed (including 711 foot-police and 25 mounted). The conflict centered on the IMG's attempt to block access to the hall. Following Gately's death, a public inquiry by Lord Scarman cleared the police of causing his death but assigned heavy moral responsibility to riot starters. The events made the National Front a household name and led to further violence in subsequent years, including the 1977 disturbances in Birmingham, Manchester, and the East End, as well as the 1979 death of Blair Peach in Southall.
Did You Know?
- This student was the first person to die in a public demonstration in Great Britain for at least 55 years.
- The International Marxist Group (IMG) was heavily criticised by the press, yet localised support for anti-fascist demonstrations rose following the event.
- Lord Scarman's inquiry concluded that while police did not kill the victim, those who started the riot carried a 'heavy' measure of moral responsibility for his death.
- Syd Bidwell, an MP scheduled to speak at the Liberation meeting in Red Lion Square when violence began, later described both this victim and Blair Peach as martyrs against fascism.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Red Square?
Red Square does not exist in the Die Hard film canon or any official storylines involving John McClane. The term appears to be a confusion with the real-world Red Lion Square disorders that occurred in London on June 15, 1974.
What are Red Square's powers or role?
Since there is no character or entity named Red Square in the Die Hard universe, it possesses no powers or narrative role. The name likely stems from a mix-up with the historical location of a violent political clash in London.
How does Red Square's story end?
There is no fictional story arc for Red Square to conclude because the concept is not part of the Die Hard franchise. In reality, the Red Lion Square event ended with the death of an unnamed student and a subsequent public inquiry led by Lord Scarman.
Why is Red Square important?
Red Square holds no importance within the Die Hard series as it is not a setting or character in those films. The actual historical significance belongs to the 1974 London riots, which marked the first fatality at a public demonstration in Great Britain for over fifty years.
Did John McClane ever visit Red Square?
John McClane never visits a location called Red Square because it is not featured in any of the Die Hard movies. The character's adventures are primarily set in Los Angeles, New York, and other fictionalized locations, unrelated to the 1974 London disorders.
More in Locations & Settings
Elsewhere in the Die Hard universe
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