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The notorious bombing of 4th of May 1886 at a rally in Haymarket Square, Chicago left seven police officers dead and sent shockwaves across America and Europe. At a time when labour relations in America were marked by violent conflict, the meeting had been called to protest the killing of workers striking for the eight-hour day. The bomber was never identified but two of the speakers at the rally, both of then anarchists, and six of their associates were accused of inciting murder.
Four of the accused, George Engel, Adolph Fischer, Albert Parsons, and August Spies were hanged on 11th November 1887, only to be exonerated in the following years while a fifth, Louis Ling, killed himself in his jail cell prior to his execution. The May International Workers Day was created in their memory.