The Battle of Holbeck Moor was a clash between the
British Union of Fascists
The British Union of Fascists (BUF) was a British fascist political party formed in 1932 by Oswald Mosley. Mosley changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists in 1936 and, in 1937, to the British Union. In 1939, fo ...
and various
anti-fascist
Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...
demonstrators that took place in
Holbeck
Holbeck is an inner city area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It begins on the southern edge of Leeds city centre and mainly lies in the LS11 postcode district. The M1 and M621 motorways used to end/begin in Holbeck. Now the M621 is the o ...
,
Leeds, on 27 September 1936.
Led by
Oswald Mosley, around 1,000 fascists planned to lead a march through
the Leylands (an area with a significant Jewish population), before the Leeds City Watch Committee banned their plans, fearing an outbreak of riots. Since the committee had not banned the fascists from marching elsewhere, however, they marched through the city before being met by 30,000 anti-fascist demonstrators in Holbeck Moor. With police forces shielding the fascists, Mosley attempted to give a speech, but was quickly drowned out. The stand-off then became violent, ending with the vastly outnumbered fascists forced to retreat.
The Battle reinforced opposition to fascism in city, and the news of the Battle that spread through anti-fascist movements elsewhere in the UK helped serve as inspiration in the planning for the more famous
Battle of Cable Street, which took place a couple of weeks later in London.
In January 2020,
John Mann, Baron Mann
John Mann, Baron Mann (born 10 January 1960) is a British independent politician who serves as an advisor to the Government on Antisemitism, sitting as a Member of the House of Lords. Prior to being granted a peerage, he was the Labour Party ...
cited the Battle in his maiden speech in the House of Lords, stating that "For 70 years my family lived alongside Holbeck Moor in those two-up, two-down, back-to-back terraces and cobbled streets. I cannot claim with certainty that one of them threw the cobble that put Mosley in hospital, but there were 30,000 heroes yet nothing recorded."
[ ]
See also
*
Battle of Stockton
The Battle of Stockton, took place on 10 September 1933 at the Market Cross in the High Street of Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England. It was a clash between members of the British Union of Fascists (BUF) and anti-fascism, anti-fascist dem ...
– an earlier incident between BUF members and anti-fascists in
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees, often simply referred to as Stockton, is a market town in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, England. It is on the northern banks of the River Tees, part of the Teesside built-up area. The town had an estimated ...
on 10 September 1933
*
Battle of South Street
The Battle of South Street was a riot that took place on 9 October 1934 in Worthing, Sussex, England. The riot took place as members of the British Union of Fascists and various anti-fascist protesters clashed following a meeting of Fascists a ...
– an incident between BUF members and anti-fascists in
Worthing on 9 October 1934
*
Battle of De Winton Field
The Battle of De Winton Field was a clash between the British Union of Fascists and various anti-fascist demonstrators that took place in Tonypandy, Wales, on 11 June 1936. It was the BUF's last attempt to hold a rally in Wales.
BUF propaganda of ...
– a clash between BUF members and anti-fascists in the
Rhondda on 11 June 1936
References
{{reflist
Fascism in England
Anti-fascism in the United Kingdom
Riots and civil disorder in Leeds
Antisemitic attacks and incidents in Europe
Racially motivated violence in England
September 1936 events
20th-century political riots
1930s political events