“The Siege of Sidney Street, popularly known as the “Battle of Stepney”, was a notorious gunfight in London's East End on the 2nd of January 1911. Preceded by the Houndsditch Murders, it ended with the deaths of two members of a supposedly politically-motivated gang of burglars supposedly led by Peter Piatkow, a.k.a. “Peter the Painter”, and sparked a major political row over the involvement of the then Home Secretary, Winston Churchill”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Scots Guards and police on duty during the “Siege of Sidney Street” in east London. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images). 3rd January 1911

Winston Churchill (1874–1965) confers with Inspector Wensley in Sidney Street, Stepney. During the Siege of Sidney Street hundreds of heavily-armed City and Metropolitan police fought a pitched battle against two anarchists. (Photo by Victor Beveridge/Getty Images)

Winston Churchill in Sidney Street, Stepney, during the Siege of Sidney Street. Hundreds of heavily-armed City and Metropolitan police fought a pitched battle against two anarchists. (Photo by James Jarche/Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Police issued with rifles by order of the Home Secretary, Winston Churchill, during the Sidney Street Siege. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). January 1911

A police officer on the street, San Francisco, early 20th century (photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1900

London traffic police escorting an elderly lady across a busy street in London. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1910

An early method of measuring the feet of criminals, which was part of the Bertillon method of anthropometry used by the police force in Paris. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1895

French police harass a striking worker after he leaves a meeting in the Saint Paul district of Paris. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1910

Students and police clash outside the Faculty of Justice, Paris, during protests. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1910

A mounted police constable in London unsheathes his baton, while escorting cold storage vans on their way to Smithfield meat market during the transport workers strike. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images). 1912

English suffragette Annie Kenney (1879–1953) is arrested during a demonstration. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1913

A row of police wagons, or “black mariahs” at their main depot in Fresnes. The vehicles are shortly to be replaced by motor-powered vehicles. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1895

A policeman blowing his whistle. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images). January 1909

A police ambulance. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). Circa 1905

Members of the Italian police, the Carabineri, at Alassio. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1894

In a staged scene a Chinese policeman arrests a rickshaw driver, whose passenger is tipped out backwards. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). Circa 1900

A suffragette who was attacked in the crowd at a meeting given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd-George at Criccieth, being escorted from the crowd by policemen. (Photo by P. A. Reuter/Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1913

Police play with monkey found on a fruit ship during General Transport Strike. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 31st May 1912

A “garden-seat” horse-drawn tram going under the railway bridge at Ludgate Hill, London. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1902

A male suffrage supporter is led over the bridge at St. James' Park, after being arrested for involvement in the attack on Buckingham Palace. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). Circa 1912

A member of the police force responsible for a railway station. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1907

Two suffragettes in conversation with a policeman. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images). Circa 1912