1780: 20 George 3 c.63: Indemnification of suppressors of the Gordon Riots

1780: 20 George 3 c.63: An act to indemnify such persons as have acted in the suppression of the late riots and tumults, in and about the cities of London and Westminster, and borough of Southwark, and for the preservation of the public peace.

WHEREAS, on the second day of June, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a great number of disorderly persons assembled themselves together, in a riotous and tumultuous manner, near to both houses of parliament, and possessed themselves of the avenues leading to the same, the said houses being then sitting, and there committed great acts of outrage and violence to many of his Majesty’s subjects; and afterwards proceeded to attack the houses of some of the public ministers of foreign princes and states, residing at his majesty’s court, and to break into the chapels belonging to such public ministers, and to set fire thereto, and continued riotously and tumultuously assembled for several days and nights; and during that time attacked and set fire to the gaol of Newgate, the King’s Bench prison, the prison of the Fleet, and set at liberty the prisoners therein respectively confined, and broke other gaols and prisons, and set at liberty the prisoners confined therein, and set fire to, and pulled down, the dwelling houses of diverse of his Majesty’s peaceable subjects, in several parts in and about the cities of London and Westminster, and borough of Southwark, and burnt and consumed the materials and furniture of the same, and did other acts of outrage and violence: and whereas diverse magistrates, and others, have exerted themselves for the suppression of the said riots and tumults, and for putting an end to the said outrages, and for restoring and preserving the public peace, and on the occasions, and for the purposes aforesaid, have done diverse acts which cannot be justified by the strict forms of law, and yet were necessary, and so much for the preservation of the lives and properties of his Majesty’s subjects, and the public safety and peace, that they ought to be justified by act of parliament, and the persons by whom they were transacted ought to be indemnified; be it therefore enacted by the King’s most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That all personal actions and suits, indictments and informations, which have been or shall be, commenced or prosecuted, and all molestations, prosecutions and proceedings whatsoever, and judgements thereupon, (if any be), against the said magistrates, or other persons, for or by reason of any act, matter, or thing, commanded or done on the occasions, and for the purposes aforesaid, or any of them, before the twenty-fourth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and eighty, shall be discharged and made void; and every person, by whom any such act, matter, or thing, which shall have been commanded or done, before the said twenty-fourth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and eighty, shall be freed, acquitted, and indemnified, as well against the king’s majesty, his heirs and successors, as against all and every other person and persons; and if any action or suit hereby discharged, or intended to be discharged, is or shall be commenced or prosecuted, every person so sued may plead the general issue, and give this act, and the special matter in evidence; and if the plaintiff or plaintiffs shall become non-suit, or forbear further prosecution, or suffer discontinuance, or if a verdict pass against such plaintiff or plaintiffs, the defendant or defendants shall recover his, her, or their double costs, for which he, she, or they shall have the like remedy, as in when costs by law are given to defendants.

Source: Pickering, Statutes at Large, volume 33.