Event    From 4/10/1936  To 4/10/1936

Battle of Cable Street

Mosley planned to march thousands of his British Union of Fascists through the East End of London, an area where many Jews lived. This attracted a lot of opposition which prompted the police to provide a 10,000 strong escort for the march. Most of the marchers and also the counter-protesters were not locals, they came here specifically for the event.

The anti-fascists (Jews, Socialists, Anarchists, Communists, Irish) put up barricades and attacked the police when they tried to clear the street. People were throwing things at the police from the windows along the street. Mosley agreed that his marchers should go elsewhere, leaving the police to battle it out with the anti-fascists. 150 were arrested and about 100 people including women, children and police were injured. Two important outcomes: political parties were banned from wearing uniforms; it became obligatory to obtain police consent for political rallies.

Almost exactly 83 years later the similar anti-fascist Battle of Lewisham took place.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Battle of Cable Street

Commemorated ati

Battle of Cable Street - Dock Street

The red colour of this plaque is, we're sure, chosen on purely aesthetic grou...

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Cable Street mural

From a letter to the Guardian from Desmond Rochfort, 26 September 2016: Dan J...

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Cable Street mural - Mosley

There must be a story to explain why Mosley is shown in his underwear, but we...

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Other Subjects

Samuel Bickersteth

Samuel Bickersteth

Committee chairman. Because of the unusual surname, it is almost certain that he was the same Reverend Samuel Bickersteth who had been vicar of Leeds, Lewisham and nearby Crofton Park. 

Person, Politics & Administration, Religion

1 memorial
Charles Edward Fox

Charles Edward Fox

JP. Mayor of the Borough of Bethnal Green three times: 1901-2; 1906-7; 1909-11. Member of the Building Committee to build the 1909 Bethnal Green Town Hall and opened it in 1910. We thank Andrew Be...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Denise Capstick

Denise Capstick

Councillor Major Denise Capstick. Bermondsey councillor, Mayor of Southwark and Executive Member for Health and Social Care. Nurse reservist in the army. Rose to the rank of Major in the Territoria...

Person, Armed Forces, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Henry Phipps, 1st Earl of Mulgrave

Henry Phipps, 1st Earl of Mulgrave

Soldier and politician.  Political roles included:  Foreign Secretary, First Lord of the Admiralty and, 1810 - 1819, Master-General of the Ordnance.  It was during this time that the Cadiz memorial...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
H. Brampton

H. Brampton

Member of the Ealing District Council in 1899.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial