Topic summary
Battle of Cable Street
The Battle of Cable Street was a series of clashes that took place at several locations in the East End of London on Sunday 4 October 1936.
The British Union of Fascists (BUF), led by Oswald Mosley, announced a march to celebrate the fourth anniversary of their organisation. The BUF had become increasingly antisemitic, so their decision to march through East London, then home to a large Jewish population, rather than close to its headquarters in Westminster, was regarded as a deliberate provocation.
A broad coalition of local representatives was unsuccessful in persuading the Home Secretary to ban the march, so the Independent Labour Party, the Communist Party of Great Britain and the Jewish People's Council Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism rallied large crowds, of mostly politically unaffiliated people, onto the streets in an attempt to block the march.
There was fighting between the BUF and counter-protestors at the fascist muster point at Tower Hill. The Metropolitan Police then clashed with both parties as they separated the factions and established a cordon around the BUF force.
The police attempted to clear a route for the fascists through the Aldgate area, but were frustrated by the crowds. Although resistance to the police around Aldgate was sometimes violent, the defence of the Gardiner's Corner sector of Aldgate, the largest and longest lasting point of contention was characterised by determined peaceful resistance.
The police continued their attempt to clear Aldgate, but in light of their difficulties there, also tried to clear an alternative route along narrow Cable Street, where fierce fighting occurred as they attempted to clear barricades erected along the street. Unable to clear a route through either Aldgate or Cable Street, and wishing to avoid continued disorder, the police told Mosley his march through East London could not go ahead, but he was permitted to march to the West End instead.
A large mural depicting the battle was painted on the side of St George's Town Hall to commemorate the event. It stands in Cable Street, about 350 metres east of the main barricade that stood by the junction with Christian Street.