Astor Place Opera House Riot

The Astor Place Riot at the now-demolished Astor Opera House in Manhattan, resulting in 22 to 31 rioter deaths and over 120 injuries. It was the deadliest civic disturbance in Manhattan to that date, typically involving clashes between immigrants and nativists or against the wealthy controlling the city's police and militia.This riot led to the largest number of civilian casualties due to military action in the U.S. since the Revolutionary War and prompted increased police militarization, including riot control training and the use of larger batons. The riot's ostensible cause was a dispute between prominent actors Edwin Forrest of America and William Charles Macready of England, over who was the superior Shakespearean actor.