Strangeways Prison Riot Begins

Date: April 1, 1990 • Location: Cheetham Hill, United Kingdom

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1990.

The 1990 Strangeways Prison riot was a 25-day prison riot and rooftop protest at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, England. The riot began on 1 April 1990 when prisoners took control of the prison chapel, and quickly spread throughout most of the prison. The incident ended on 25 April when the final five prisoners were removed from the rooftop. One prisoner was killed during the riot, and 147 prison officers and 47 prisoners were injured. Much of the prison was damaged or destroyed, with the cost of repairs coming to £55 million. It was the longest prison riot in British penal history.