Battle of Cable Street, 1936

Today is the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street. That was when Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists, attemped to lead a march through Stepney in London's East End. Stepney was, at that time, predominantly a Jewish area.

Thousands of anti-fascists, anarchists, communists, Jews and residents of London's East End had other ideas. Coinciding with General Franco's murderous siege of Spanish republican Madrid, the overwhelmingly working-class anti-fascists painted the slogan ‘No Pasaran’ ('They Shall Not Pass') all over East London.

Fascism is still alive and well in the UK. Troubling article in today's Guardian about extreme right-wing thugs who target, intimidate and physically attack journalists, trade unionists and other opponents in Britain of the far right: Redwatch web of hate

News reel footage of the Battle of Cable Street: youtube