Summary
Violet Gibson tried to assassinate the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in 1926 but did not succeed. She was later arrested, deported back to England, and remained in a psychiatric institution until her death in 1956. A plaque was unveiled in Dublin in 2022 to commemorate her life.
Key Facts
- Violet Gibson attempted to kill Benito Mussolini on April 7, 1926.
- The bullet from her gun grazed Mussolini's nose.
- She was protected from an angry crowd by police after the attempt.
- After her arrest, she was deported to England and spent the rest of her life in a psychiatric facility.
- Violet Gibson's family had political connections; her father was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat and a former Lord Chancellor of Ireland.
- She was motivated by political and religious beliefs, converting to Catholicism and becoming a socialist.
- A plaque was unveiled in Dublin in 2022 to honor her actions.
- Her life has inspired various creative works including songs, a play, a radio documentary, and a film.
