Kevin Gately
Encyclopedia
Kevin Gately was a second year student of mathematics at the University of Warwick
who died as a result of injuries received in the Red Lion Square disorders
in London on 15 June 1974. He was the first person to be killed on a public political demonstration in Great Britain in 55 years.
Gately, who was 20 when he died was born in England to parents of Irish background. He was tall, well over six foot, and this led several newspapers of the time to allege that his death may have been the result of a blow from a mounted police truncheon. Neither a coroner's inquest nor a public inquiry headed by Lord Scarman were able to find conclusive evidence to prove or disprove this claim. A pathologist was able to establish a blow to his head caused the death.
However, fellow students who were with Gately said that he was injured after several charges and counter-charges involving mounted police, foot police and demonstrators. Clive Bloom, author of Violent London: 2,000 Years of Riots, Rebels and Revolts, asserts Kevin Gately "died under a police horse". Contemporary photos show Gately standing out above the crowd because of his exceptional height.
The Red Lion Square demonstration was an attempt to stop the National Front
holding a meeting in London. The primary organisers were the London Area Council of Liberation, with participation from the International Marxist Group
and the International Socialists (later the Socialist Workers Party
). Gately was not a member of any political group or party. An assertion in the 22 June 2004 edition of the Warwick University student newspaper, the Boar, that he was a member of the International Marxist Group is mistaken.
Gately had no experience of demonstrations before Red Lion Square, although he was aware of the nature of the demonstration against the National Front and wished to take part. His death led to a silent march of protest, and a major campaign by Warwick students against the National Front.
A Kevin Gately Memorial Painting hangs in the Warwick University Students' Union, and was restored in 2004. It is displayed alongside contemporary telegrams of support from many other students' unions and a copy of Socialist Worker from the week following Gately's death. The painting is symbolic of the anti-fascist struggle and contains neither a representation of Gately nor of the events of June 1974.
At the time of Kevin Gately's death he was sympathetic to the International Marxist Group's views on anti-fascist activities and was invited onto the march by them according to local IMG sources at the time.
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
who died as a result of injuries received in the Red Lion Square disorders
Red Lion Square disorders
The Red Lion Square disorders were an event in 1974.On 15 June that year, the National Front marched through London's West End; their march was to finish with a meeting in Conway Hall, Red Lion Square. The London Area Council for Liberation conducted a counter demonstration which consisted of a...
in London on 15 June 1974. He was the first person to be killed on a public political demonstration in Great Britain in 55 years.
Gately, who was 20 when he died was born in England to parents of Irish background. He was tall, well over six foot, and this led several newspapers of the time to allege that his death may have been the result of a blow from a mounted police truncheon. Neither a coroner's inquest nor a public inquiry headed by Lord Scarman were able to find conclusive evidence to prove or disprove this claim. A pathologist was able to establish a blow to his head caused the death.
However, fellow students who were with Gately said that he was injured after several charges and counter-charges involving mounted police, foot police and demonstrators. Clive Bloom, author of Violent London: 2,000 Years of Riots, Rebels and Revolts, asserts Kevin Gately "died under a police horse". Contemporary photos show Gately standing out above the crowd because of his exceptional height.
The Red Lion Square demonstration was an attempt to stop the National Front
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
holding a meeting in London. The primary organisers were the London Area Council of Liberation, with participation from the International Marxist Group
International Marxist Group
The International Marxist Group was a Trotskyist group in Britain between 1968 and 1982. It was the British Section of the Fourth International. It and its youth organisation had had around 1,000 members and supporters in the late 1970s...
and the International Socialists (later the Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (Britain)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far left party in Britain founded by Tony Cliff. The SWP's student section has groups at a number of universities...
). Gately was not a member of any political group or party. An assertion in the 22 June 2004 edition of the Warwick University student newspaper, the Boar, that he was a member of the International Marxist Group is mistaken.
Gately had no experience of demonstrations before Red Lion Square, although he was aware of the nature of the demonstration against the National Front and wished to take part. His death led to a silent march of protest, and a major campaign by Warwick students against the National Front.
A Kevin Gately Memorial Painting hangs in the Warwick University Students' Union, and was restored in 2004. It is displayed alongside contemporary telegrams of support from many other students' unions and a copy of Socialist Worker from the week following Gately's death. The painting is symbolic of the anti-fascist struggle and contains neither a representation of Gately nor of the events of June 1974.
See also
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At the time of Kevin Gately's death he was sympathetic to the International Marxist Group's views on anti-fascist activities and was invited onto the march by them according to local IMG sources at the time.