The Day Oswald Mosley Got Hit by a Brick in Liverpool – A Turning Point in British Fascism
Oswald Mosley, the controversial leader of the British Union of Fascists (BUF), is infamous for his attempts to introduce fascism to the UK. Although he was a skilled orator and political strategist, his efforts were met with fierce opposition across Britain, leading to violent clashes wherever he and his Blackshirts went. One of the most significant moments in Mosley’s career came when he was struck by a brick and hospitalised in Liverpool—a defining event that epitomised the growing resistance to fascism in the UK. This, along with other violent confrontations in cities like Manchester, Glasgow, and London, ultimately led to the decline of Mosley and the BUF.
Liverpool in the 1930s: A City on Edge
In the 1930s, Liverpool was a city grappling with economic depression, high unemployment, and social unrest. Yet it was also home to a strong, multicultural working-class community, with a significant Irish and Jewish presence. These groups viewed Mosley’s fascist rhetoric, with its anti-Semitic and nationalist tones, as a direct threat to their way of life.
Mosley, undeterred by growing opposition, planned a public rally in Liverpool in 1937, aiming to build support in the north of England. However, Liverpool had a deep-rooted tradition of standing up to far-right ideologies, and the local population—especially the dockworkers and trade unionists—was prepared to make their opposition clear.
The Brick Incident
On the day of the rally, Mosley took to the stage in his characteristic black military-style uniform, addressing a large crowd. As was common at his events, BUF supporters filled some of the crowd, but the majority were anti-fascists and local residents who had come to disrupt the rally. As Mosley launched into his incendiary speech, the mood turned violent, with protestors shouting him down and clashes breaking out between the Blackshirts and anti-fascists.
In the midst of the chaos, a brick was hurled from the crowd, striking Mosley square in the head. The blow knocked him unconscious, and his bodyguards scrambled to protect him as the situation descended into chaos. Mosley was quickly taken away from the scene and transported to Liverpool Royal Infirmary, where he was treated for his injuries.
Mosley’s Hospitalisation in Liverpool
At the hospital, Mosley was diagnosed with a severe concussion and head lacerations. He remained in hospital for several days, receiving treatment while his supporters and opponents alike reacted to the news. The local press widely covered the incident, with the image of Mosley lying unconscious becoming a symbol of anti-fascist resistance. For Mosley and the BUF, it was an embarrassing setback, as the leader who prided himself on strength was now seen as vulnerable and defeated.
This hospital stay marked a turning point in his public appearances. While he recovered physically, the incident revealed just how intense the public opposition to his movement had become.
Attacks in Other UK Cities
Liverpool wasn’t the only city where Mosley encountered violent opposition. Across the UK, anti-fascists, trade unionists, and ordinary citizens took to the streets to reject Mosley’s ideology, often resulting in physical altercations. Some of the most notable attacks occurred in the following cities:
• Manchester: In 1934, Mosley attempted to hold a BUF rally in Manchester, another city with strong working-class and Jewish communities. The rally ended in chaos, with stones and other objects thrown at Mosley and his Blackshirts. The event marked an early sign of the fierce resistance Mosley would face in the north of England.
• London (Cable Street): The 1936 Battle of Cable Street was one of the most famous clashes in the fight against fascism in the UK. Mosley’s BUF planned a march through London’s East End, a largely Jewish area. Tens of thousands of anti-fascist protestors, including locals, socialists, and trade unionists, blocked the march with barricades. Violent clashes ensued, with stones and debris hurled at Mosley’s followers. Eventually, the police stopped the BUF march, forcing Mosley to retreat. This was a symbolic defeat for the BUF, as it showed that British communities were willing to stand up to fascism.
• Leeds: In Leeds, another northern city with strong anti-fascist sentiments, Mosley’s rallies were similarly disrupted. Protests and violent confrontations between fascists and anti-fascists became the norm, with Mosley’s speeches drowned out by jeers and boos. Leeds, like Liverpool and Manchester, proved to be hostile territory for the BUF.
• Glasgow: In Glasgow, Mosley faced intense opposition from local socialists and trade unionists. At a 1936 rally, the situation quickly spiralled into violence, with anti-fascist protestors throwing stones, rotten fruit, and even bags of flour at the Blackshirts. The event was a public relations disaster for Mosley, as he once again had to flee from an angry crowd.
The Decline of the BUF
These repeated failures and violent confrontations in cities across the UK contributed to the decline of the British Union of Fascists. The BUF’s early years in the early 1930s saw modest success, especially when Mosley capitalised on the economic distress of the Great Depression. However, as his rhetoric became increasingly anti-Semitic and authoritarian, public opinion shifted against him.
The Battle of Cable Street in 1936, along with the brick attack in Liverpool in 1937, were key moments that demonstrated the British public’s growing rejection of fascism. The violent resistance Mosley faced in these cities made it clear that his movement was far from welcome in working-class communities. The BUF began to lose political momentum, with membership numbers dwindling and many of Mosley’s former allies distancing themselves from the movement.
Government Crackdown and Mosley’s Internment
The final blow to the BUF came during World War II. When Britain entered the war against Nazi Germany in 1939, Mosley’s overt admiration for fascist regimes in Italy and Germany became a liability. Public support for the BUF plummeted as Britain fought against the very ideologies Mosley had promoted. In 1940, the British government, under Regulation 18B, arrested Mosley and many other prominent fascists, fearing that they might act as a fifth column for the Nazis.
Mosley was interned in Holloway Prison along with his wife, Diana Mitford, for much of the war. Although he was released in 1943 due to health reasons, his political career was effectively over. The BUF was banned, and Mosley’s attempts to resurrect his political ambitions in the post-war years met with little success.
Legacy of Resistance
The day Oswald Mosley was hospitalised by a brick in Liverpool became a symbolic moment in the broader struggle against fascism in the UK. It marked the beginning of the end for Mosley’s BUF, as public opposition to fascism grew and violent confrontations became routine. Events like the Battle of Cable Street and attacks in cities such as Manchester and Glasgow further underscored that British society was unwilling to accept the extremist ideologies Mosley tried to spread.
The defeat of the BUF was not just a political victory but a moral one for the UK. The legacy of those who stood up to fascism in cities like Liverpool remains a source of pride and inspiration, reminding us that communities can unite to resist hatred and authoritarianism.
Today, Oswald Mosley is remembered not as a powerful political leader but as a figure who was ultimately rejected by the British public. The brick in Liverpool, along with the countless acts of defiance against the BUF, symbolises that rejection.
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