Welcome to Suffragette City: Surveillance Photos of 1912 Women’s Activists Released

Now you can see what your badass foremothers looked like! Nearing the centennial of the votes-for-women movement, a number of covertly taken photographs featuring many dauntless crusaders for women’s votes have come to light, along with the revelation that these women were probably the first “terrorist” organization to be subjected to secret surveillance by the UK.

Part of an exhibition honoring the centenary of the founding of the Women’s Social and Political Union, the photographs were taken by what was arguably the first long-lens paparazzi-style photographer, and were meant to help detectives compile a list of suspects. The goal was to stop window-smashing, arson, and any further self-chaining of the women to the railing of the Parliament building.

Well done, sister suffragettes!

(Boing Boing via BBC News)

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Alanna Bennett

Alanna is a pop culture writer who works as the Weekend Editor for The Mary Sue, an entertainment writer for Bustle, and a freelancer for everywhere. She has a lot of opinions about Harry Potter and will 100% bully you into watching the shows that she loves. Don't worry, it's a sign of friendship.

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