On April 30, 1517, oddly enough the day before May Day, riots in London, England broke out known as Evil May Day (alternately, Ill May Day). English apprentices and businessmen had grown afraid of losing their jobs or business to foreigners coming from Continental Europe and setting up shop in London, taking jobs and business away from English workers and owners.
Digging Deeper
Resentment against foreigners has reared its ugly head again and again over the years in England and recently in the United States and other European countries as well. Xenophobia is apparently nothing new and is certainly alive and “well” in today's world.
