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1915 - The Castleford Riots
When the German submarine U20 torpedoed the ocean liner RMS Lusitania on Friday, 7th. May 1915 with the loss of almost 1200 lives the British newspapers headlined this as a war crime. **
In the following days residents of many British towns and cities rioted destroying many businesses with German or German sounding names, or sometimes those who just looked good for looting.
The Castleford Riots began on the evening of May 15th. 1915. It is claimed that this was just after the pubs had closed. Many windows were smashed along Carlton Street and Station Road. German family premises were targeted but also others including Cohen's tailors, White Hart Inn and the Co-op.
Daily Mirror
 
** This is a topic you should investigate yourself. The whole incident is filled with theories – from the British Government inviting this to happen to get the Americans to join the war to the claim the ship was attacked because the Germans knew it was carrying arms and ammunition for the war effort. If you are into conspiracy theories then this should give you hours of reading material.
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