Who He?

THIS statue in the City of London, near the former Mirror pub The Stab (in the back), is of a man who lived in the 18th century.

He is largely forgotten by the general public, but see if you can guess which of these two summaries of his life is the correct one.
1. MP - commanded militia that played a key role in suppressing the Gordon Riots - fathered at least two illegitimate children - magistrate.
2. Supported the rebels in the American War of Independence - jailed for insulting the king - radical journalist - declared an outlaw by the House of Lords.
The statue is of John Wilkes, and both these summaries of his life are correct, as can be seen in greater detail at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wilkes