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Battle of Cable Street - 70th Anniversary

Peter Marshall | 10.10.2006 19:30 | Anti-racism | Culture | History | Workers' Movements | London

On Sunday the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street, when Londoners massed and denied access to the East End to Masley's fascist blackshirts was celebrated in Cable Street with a parade and fair in the grounds of St Georges Town Hall.

'They Shall Not Pass' and Cable St Mural
'They Shall Not Pass' and Cable St Mural


October 4th 1936 was a great day in the history of the working class in this country, when ignoring the advice of almost all socialist and communist parties and organised Judaism, the people of the East End went in massive numbers to Gardiner's Corner to prevent Mosley's march through their streets. A barricade was erected in Cable Street and the people fought the police there. Eventually the march had to be abandoned.

Sunday's celebration was a joyous occasion. As well as a parade making a strong anti-racist statement and celebrating the event with street theatre, there were also exhibitions of old and contemporary photographs and a fine programme of socialist entertainment following the opening by Cable Street veteran Harold Rosen and his son, the author Michael Rosen. The highlight of this for me was a guest appearance by Karl Marx, aided by socialist magician Ian Saville. Bangladeshi Progressive Cultural Group 'Udichi Shilpi Gosthi' contributed some fine music, singing and dancing, and Klezmania klezmer band and Duende Flamenco gave lively performances. I was sorry to have to leave while Reggae Revolution were only mideay through their spirited set, and to miss the specially commissioned concert 'No Pasaran!' by the Grand Union Orchestra.

More pictures and a longer text about the event on my web site.

Peter Marshall
- e-mail: petermarshall@cix.co.uk
- Homepage: http://mylondondiary.co.uk

Comments

Display the following 10 comments

  1. Cable Street-70th anniversary of what? Opposition to racism? — ©Muhammad haque/AADHIKARonline 2006
  2. Opposition to Hitlerite Fascism? — Ilyan
  3. If Cable Street was not against racism but against fascism, then questions arise — Stopracistsnow
  4. Who is promoting Racism? — Ilyan
  5. It was the Jews wot won it — Jack Spot
  6. Working class solidarity too is a slogan. Look at the Cable Street photos — Justsurfing
  7. Some facts not fiction — Peter Marshall
  8. Where are those 'multi-ethnic' peoples' photos, Mr Marshall? — Justsurfing
  9. Look at the pictures on the web site! — Peter Marshall
  10. Rocker's rock foundation. Most? — Ilyan