Editing Gordon Riots (section)

===Protestant Association===
The Protestant Association of London had the support of leading Calvinist religious figures, including [[Rowland Hill (preacher)|Rowland Hill]], [[Erasmus Middleton]], and [[John Rippon]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Joanna |last=Innes |title=Inferior Politics: Social Problems and Social Policies in Eighteenth-Century Britain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e-1Q78IUE4IC&pg=PP446 |access-date=15 September 2013 |year=2009 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-160677-9 |page=446}}</ref> [[Lord George Gordon]] became its president in 1779, in an effort to force the repeal of the Papists Act.<ref>Hibbert pp. 31–32</ref><ref>Howell, Thomas Bayly (ed.) [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ad6YpE1POPwC A Complete Collection of State Trials and Proceedings for High Treason and Other Crimes and Misdemeanors from the earliest period to the year 1783, with notes and other illustrations], Vol. 21. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown (1816), p. 563</ref> An articulate propagandist, though eccentric, Gordon inflamed the mob with fears of Papism and a return to [[Absolute monarchy|absolute monarchical rule]]. He implied that Catholics in the military would, given a chance, join forces with their co-religionists on the Continent and attack Britain. He enjoyed popularity in Scotland where he took part in a successful campaign to prevent the same legislation from being introduced into [[Scots law]], although the Act continued in force in England and Wales and in Ireland. The success in obstructing the law in Scotland led Gordon to believe he could enjoy similar success in the rest of Britain and Ireland. Early in 1780 Gordon had several audiences with [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]] but was unable to convince him of what he saw as the dangers of the act. George III initially humoured Gordon, but grew increasingly irritated with him and eventually refused any future audiences.

The political climate deteriorated rapidly. On 29 May 1780, Gordon called a meeting of the Protestant Association, and his followers subsequently marched on the [[House of Commons]] to deliver a petition demanding the repeal of the Act.