On this day 135 years ago, Chicago Anarchists called for a rally a day after police shot into a crowd of striking workers, killing at least two. After multiple speakers addressed the crowd, connecting the recent police violence with the fight for an 8 hour work day, 
a large police force marched in formation towards the action, escalating what was a peaceful gathering of laborers and organizers as it was dispersing. Shortly after police arrive, a bomb was thrown into the crowd, causing 12 fatalities including 4 workers.
The effects of the Haymarket affair became anti-union, anti-anarchy, and pro-police propaganda. Eight anarchists were suspected, despite records showing only two had been at the rally at the time of the explosion. Four of them were executed, another took his own life.
What happened at Haymarket 135 years ago remains relative today. When we organize, we undermine the state and we threatened the capitalist system. We've seen at protests just as recently as this year the way police will escalate violence and in turn pin it on demonstrators.
Knowing and understanding the long history of organizing in Chicago and how Chicago police has historically undermined, obstructed, and targeted movement leaders comes back to what happened in Haymarket and the anarchists who sacrificed their life for the workers.
Today we honor the Chicago Anarchists and all of those who let their outrage, grief, and commitment to fighting for a better world flood the streets even against our violent and armed enemies.
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