original_query: What were the London garrotting panics?
query: What were the London garrotting panics?
answer: The London garrotting panics were two periods of intense public fear (1856 and 1862-63) regarding a perceived surge in violent street robberies, fueled largely by sensationalized press coverage.  The panics, which had little basis in reality, led to harsher prison sentences and legislation, even the reintroduction of flogging.