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

Whittingham

Whittingham

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1 memorial
Councillor A. R. Bean

Councillor A. R. Bean

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1 memorial
Admiral Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford

Admiral Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford

Born Chiswick. One of the Immortal Seven (see William III). Died at the house with the plaque.

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
James Perkins

James Perkins

Chairman of the Smithfield Markets Committee, 1888.

Person, Commerce, Food & Drink, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Richard Courtney Balding

Richard Courtney Balding

Born Camberwell. Employed as an insurance company director. Edwin Richard, his father, was MD of United Friendly Insurance Company. A 1938 London Gazette refers to UF at 42 Southwark Bridge Road. H...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial