The Tompkins Square Park riot occurred on January 13, 1874, at Tompkins Square Park in what is now the East Village and Alphabet City neighborhoods of Manhattan, New York City. The riot started after the New York City Police Department clashed with a demonstration involving thousands of unemployed civilians.

Tompkins Square Park is a 10.5-acre (4.2 ha) public park in the Alphabet City portion of East Village, Manhattan, New York City. The square-shaped park, bounded on the north by East 10th Street, on the east by Avenue B, on the south by East 7th Street, and on the west by Avenue A, is abutted by St. Marks Place to the west. The park opened in 1834 and is named for Daniel D. Tompkins, Vice President of the United States.