King Mob

King Mob were a situationist influenced radical group during the 1970s. They derived their name from the Gordon gin rioters, who daubed the slogan His Majesty King Mob on the walls of Newgate prison in London during the 1800s.

King Mob allegedly planned a series of audacious actions that included blowing up a waterfall in England’s Lake District, blowing up the poet Wordsworth’s house with Coleridge Lives graffiti and hanging peacocks in London’s Holland Park. However these were never carried out. The plan that did get put into action was based on Black Mask’s ‘mill-in at Macy’s.’ King Mob turned up at the Selfriges store in London with one of them dressed as Santa Claus and proceeded to give away all the store’s toys to children. The police were called and the children made to give the toys back. King Mob also produced the King Mob Echo which celebrated killers like Jack The Ripper, Mary Bell and John Christie. Graffiti attributed to King Mob was observed in many places, including the memorable Same thing day after day – tube – work – diner – work – tube – armchair – TV – sleep – tube – work – how much more can you take? – One in ten go mad – one in five cracks up (painted on the walls of the London Underground between Ladbrook Grove and Westbourne Park tube stations) and I don’t believe in nothing – I feel like they ought to burn down the world – just let it burn down baby.