RMT leader Eddie Dempsey's stark warning shook up a fringe meeting at the Scottish TUC

ON April 10 1848 the Chartists held a rally to demand the vote for working men on Kennington Common, London. It was the first demonstration in the world to be photographed, and the original picture is held in the King’s Collection at Windsor.
With much of the rest of Europe in turmoil, this gives an indication of how seriously the ruling class took the threat of a revolutionary outbreak. The Queen departed for the Isle of Wight and troops and special constables were mobilised to protect key buildings and deal with any Chartist challenge to power.
The efforts of the state on April 10 1848 are relatively well documented. The Chartist tactics for the demonstration have received less attention.

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