Battle of Cable Street

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The Battle of Cable Street or Cable Street Riot took place on Sunday October 4, 1936 in Cable Street in the East End of London. It was a clash between the Police, overseeing a legal march by the British Union of Fascists, led by Oswald Mosley, and anti-fascists, including local Jewish, socialist, Irish and communist groups. The majority of both marchers and counter-protesters travelled into the area for this purpose. Mosley planned to send thousands of marchers dressed in uniforms styled on those of Blackshirts through the East End of London, with its large Jewish population.

Contents

[edit] Background

Communist leaflet directing supporters away from Cable Street - overprinted with an Aldgate meeting place by local members
Communist leaflet directing supporters away from Cable Street - overprinted with an Aldgate meeting place by local members

The Board of Deputies of British Jews denounced the march as Jew-baiting and urged Jews to stay away. The Communist Party of Great Britain also tried to stop its members from taking part. Forbidden from confronting the blackshirts, Communist members had to operate under the cover of the 'ex-Serviceman's Association. On the day, the Communist Party produced a leaflet for an anti-fascist demonstration in Trafalgar Square, to draw people away from the East End. Stepney communist Joe Jacobs, who played a leading role, was expelled for 'street fighting'.[1]

Despite the strong likelihood of violence, the government refused to ban the march and a large escort of police was provided in an attempt to prevent anti-fascist protestors disrupting the march.

[edit] Events

The anti-fascist groups erected roadblocks in an attempt to prevent the march from taking place. Although the police attempted to clear the road to permit the march to proceed, after a series of running battles between the police and anti-fascist demonstrators the march did not take place and the B.U.F. marchers were dispersed towards Hyde Park instead. The barricades were erected near the junction with Christian Street, towards the west end of this long street.

Eyewitness Bill Fishman, 15 at the time of the battle, recalls, "I was moved to tears to see bearded Jews and Irish Catholic dockers standing up to stop Mosley. I shall never forget that as long as I live, how working-class people could get together to oppose the evil of racism."[2]

[edit] Aftermath

Red commemorative plaque in Dock Street
Red commemorative plaque in Dock Street

The Battle of Cable Street was a major factor leading to the passage of the Public Order Act 1936, which forbade the wearing of political uniforms in public, and is widely considered to be a significant factor in the B.U.F's political decline prior to World War II.

In the 1980s, a large mural depicting the Battle was painted on the side of St. George's Hall. This old Town Hall building stands in Cable Street, about 150 yards west from Shadwell underground station. A red plaque in Dock Street commemorates the incident.


[edit] References

  1. ^ Joe Jacobs, Out of the Ghetto, Phoenix Press, 1991
  2. ^ Day the East End said 'No pasaran' to Blackshirts by Audrey Gillan, The Guardian, 30 September 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2006.

[edit] External links

[edit] From eastendtalking.org.uk

[edit] From The Guardian newspaper

[edit] From the BBC

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