Anarchists fire churches and schools in Madrid . Churches , schools and other buildings as well as motor cars in the streets were set on fire by anarchist mobs , who broke loose in Madrid and defied the efforts of the civil guards and troops to hold them in check . The anarchists alleged that a child had poisened with sweets , which was denied by the authorities and gave this as the pretext for the new reign of terror . Photo shows , the church and schools of Ave Maria blazing furiously in Madrid after having been set alight by anarchists . 7 May 1936 *** Local Caption ***