Transcript [00:00] What was the Battle of Cable Street and [00:02] why do we remember it? In 1930s Europe, [00:04] fascism was on the rise and in Britain [00:06] it was no different. It took the form of [00:09] the British Union of Fascists led by [00:11] Oswald Mosley. Mosley and his black [00:15] shirts openly promoted anti-semitism, [00:17] blaming Jews for Britain's problems. On [00:19] Sunday, October 4th, 1936, Mosley [00:23] planned to march thousands of his [00:24] supporters through London's East End, [00:27] home to much of Britain's Jewish [00:29] population. Tens of thousands of Britons [00:31] had signed a petition calling for the [00:33] march to be banned, but the British [00:35] government refused to do so. Instead, [00:37] around 7,000 police officers were [00:39] deployed to clear the path for the [00:40] fascists as they marched through East [00:42] London. Even our paper, the Jewish [00:45] Chronicle, warned its readers to stay [00:47] away, fearing they might be in danger. [00:50] But what happened was different. They [00:52] didn't. Jewish and non-Jewish Eastenders [00:55] came together to stop the march. It is [00:57] estimated that around 50,000 people [01:00] gathered in opposition to the British [01:02] Union of Fascists. On Cable Street, [01:04] protesters built a barricade from [01:06] whatever they could find, including [01:08] mattresses, furniture, overturned [01:11] trucks, bricks, and stones. Violent [01:13] clashes broke out between the protesters [01:15] and police. Around 175 people were [01:18] injured, and 85 anti-fascist protesters [01:22] were arrested. Eventually, the police [01:24] realized the march could not continue [01:26] without risk of bloodshed. So, Mosley [01:29] and his supporters were forced to turn [01:31] back. The barricaded streets erupted [01:33] into celebration. For many, the day [01:36] became known as the Battle of Cable [01:38] Street, a defining moment in the [01:40] resistance to British fascism. And when [01:42] Jews and non-Jews came together to stop [01:45] it nearly 90 years later, the families [01:48] of those who stood there remember what [01:50] happened. Here are their stories. [01:55] >> Who are you remembering today? [01:57] >> My dad is a dozen. He was from Beck [02:01] Green. He was a tor. My dad was about 17 [02:05] and he was involved in uh the Communist [02:08] Party who were at that time fighting the [02:10] fascist and he was very aware of what [02:13] was happening. He said it was uh scary. [02:16] They were running. The police horses [02:18] were there. They were battling it. It [02:21] was really frightening, very violent. [02:24] And um and it was great the way the [02:26] people got together and barricaded this [02:28] street. It was um very vivid in his [02:32] mind, you know, very very important [02:34] memory. He was always proud to be [02:36] Jewish. He'd be quite passionate, I [02:38] think, as a youngster, [02:40] >> I think. So, [02:42] >> my grandparents lived at number 25 play [02:46] >> and our mom's uh were sisters. So, my [02:48] mom was six, Freda and Rifka was three. [02:52] My mother, her first memory as a [02:55] three-year-old was looking out of the [02:57] window in Cable Street down at the [02:59] barricades looking at the fight going [03:01] on. [03:01] >> My mom was quite a bit older. She had to [03:03] look after Rita. Um my grandfather went [03:06] out to Gardener's Corner. It was the [03:08] first time she'd ever experienced a [03:10] feeling of fear and anxiety. They were, [03:13] you know, very very poor. They'd come [03:14] from PRS. They'd left Zaris, Russia or [03:17] Poland. And they came here and believed [03:19] they could have a life of safety and [03:21] sanctity. I mean, not naive enough to [03:23] think that anti-semitism didn't exist, [03:25] but they stood up for themselves. And I [03:27] hope that Jews will take that spirit and [03:29] pride that we have to speak up for [03:31] ourselves because if we don't, no one [03:32] else will.
🇬🇧 Remembering the Battle of Cable Street - 90 years on
In 1930s Europe, Fascism was on the rise; and in Britain it was no different.
In Britain, it took the form of the British Union of Fascists, led by Oswald Mosley.
Mosley and his Blackshirts openly promoted antisemitism, blaming Jews for Britain’s problems.
On Sunday, October 4, 1936, Mosley planned to march thousands of his supporters, the paramilitary group nicknamed the 'Black Shirts' due to their black uniform, through London’s East End — home to much of Britain’s Jewish population.
Jews were encouraged to stay away for their own safety. They didn't.
What happened instead went down in history as a critical moment in the fight against Fascism in Britain.
Jewish and non-Jewish East Enders united to form a barricade against the Black Shirts and the 7,000 police officers protecting them.
Their strength and determination and street fight pushed the fascists back.
90 years later, the families of those who stood their ground on Cable Street on that day in 1936 commemorate their bravery. These are some of their stories.
📰 Full story on our site - thejc[dot]com
