They Shall Not Pass - The Battle of Cable Street: Defying Fascism in the East End
The Battle of Cable Street, which took place on 4th October 1936 in the East End of London, remains a defining moment in the British resistance to fascism. The events of that day saw an unlikely coalition of communists, trade unionists, Jews, Irish dockworkers, and ordinary citizens come together to oppose Sir Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists (BUF). The clash was not just a street battle but a confrontation between two opposing ideologies: one rooted in the politics of hate, exclusion, and totalitarianism, and the other grounded in solidarity, diversity, and the belief that communities, no matter how marginalised, could stand together to resist oppression. In a broader context, it was a reflection of the tumultuous political landscape of the 1930s, when Europe was gripped by the rise of fascism and the looming threat of war.
The Political Landscape of Europe in the 1930s
The 1930s were a decade marked by seismic political upheavals across Europe. The Great Depression had devastated economies, leading to mass unemployment, political instability, and widespread social unrest. In this environment of crisis, extremist ideologies found fertile ground. Fascism, which had first emerged in Italy under Benito Mussolini in the early 1920s, began to spread across the continent. By the early 1930s, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party had risen to power in Germany, consolidating their grip on the nation with a toxic blend of nationalism, antisemitism, and militarism.
Meanwhile, authoritarian movements gained ground in countries like Romania and Spain, the latter embroiled in a brutal civil war between fascist forces led by General Francisco Franco and a republican government supported by socialists, communists, and anarchists.
Against this backdrop, Britain seemed relatively insulated from the political extremes that were overtaking the Continent. However, the rise of Mosley’s British Union of Fascists showed that the forces of fascism were not confined to the fringes of Europe. Mosley, who had once been a prominent politician within the British Labour Party, became disillusioned with the mainstream political system and founded the BUF in 1932. Initially attracting a considerable following, especially among sections of the upper classes and the British establishment, the BUF sought to channel the discontent of the times into a nationalist and antisemitic political programme. The BUF's slogan, "Britain First," combined calls for economic protectionism with an explicitly anti-immigrant and anti-Jewish agenda, positioning itself as a solution to the economic difficulties caused by the Great Depression.
The Rise of the British Union of Fascists
Sir Oswald Mosley’s BUF was modelled on the fascist movements in Italy and Germany. In 1932, Mosley met Mussolini and became infatuated with the dictator’s success in transforming Italy into a one-party, authoritarian state. Similarly, Mosley admired Hitler’s rise to power in Germany, seeing it as a model for the BUF’s ambitions in Britain. The BUF adopted many of the characteristics that defined these continental movements: a paramilitary wing known as the Blackshirts, frequent mass rallies, and a heavy reliance on propaganda that demonised political opponents and minorities. The BUF's primary target, particularly after 1934, became the Jewish community, which Mosley and his followers scapegoated for Britain's economic troubles and the social changes taking place in urban areas, particularly in East London.
By 1934, the BUF had grown to around 50,000 members. However, the group’s reputation for violence began to alienate parts of the public and political establishment. In June of that year, the BUF held a rally at Olympia, where Blackshirt stewards brutally attacked anti-fascist demonstrators, an event widely reported in the press. The violence, far from boosting the BUF’s image, led to a drop in membership and increased scrutiny from the authorities. Still, Mosley pressed on with his campaign, increasingly focusing on London's East End, where he believed he could exploit the local population’s frustrations with unemployment, housing shortages, and the presence of a large Jewish community.
Antisemitism and the East End of London
The East End of London, and particularly Stepney, had long been home to immigrant communities. By the 1930s, it had a distinct Jewish character, with many residents having fled the pogroms of Eastern Europe at the turn of the century. Jewish refugees had arrived in waves, often settling in London’s poorest areas, contributing to the rich cultural and social tapestry of the East End. The area became a hub for Jewish life, with synagogues, Jewish schools, Yiddish-speaking theatres, and businesses forming the backbone of the community.
However, the presence of this vibrant Jewish community also made the East End a target for antisemitic agitation. Mosley and the BUF sought to exploit long-standing prejudices, stoking fear and hatred against Jewish immigrants by portraying them as "foreigners" who took jobs and resources from native-born Britons. BUF rallies in East London became notorious for their antisemitic rhetoric, often descending into violence. Leaflets distributed by the BUF propagated lies about Jewish people controlling the financial system or being responsible for the spread of communism.
For many in the Jewish community, Mosley’s march into the East End was a direct provocation, aimed at terrorising them in their own neighbourhoods. Jewish organisations, including the Jewish People’s Council, led efforts to resist the BUF. The People’s Council was instrumental in gathering 100,000 signatures on a petition calling for the government to ban Mosley’s planned march through the East End on 4th October 1936. Despite the strong public outcry, the Home Office refused to act, fearing that a ban might inflame tensions further and lead to an escalation of violence. With no intervention from the authorities, the residents of the East End began preparing to defend their community.
Preparing for the Clash
As the date of Mosley’s march drew closer, the atmosphere in the East End grew increasingly tense. The BUF had announced that they would be marching 3,000 Blackshirts through Whitechapel, one of the most densely populated Jewish areas in London. In response, left-wing groups, trade unions, and local residents organised a counter-demonstration, calling on people to block the fascists’ path and prevent the march from taking place.
The Communist Party played a crucial role in the mobilisation effort. While the Jewish Chronicle, fearing violent reprisals, urged Jews to stay indoors, the Communist Party, along with other socialist groups, actively encouraged resistance. They even cancelled a planned rally in Trafalgar Square and redirected their supporters to Stepney, recognising the symbolic importance of standing against fascism in an area that was home to so many immigrants and minorities. On the morning of 4th October, the call to action was answered by thousands of people.
By midday, crowds of anti-fascist demonstrators began to gather at Gardiner’s Corner in Aldgate, one of the major junctions on the route of Mosley’s march. “They Shall Not Pass!”—a chant borrowed from the Spanish Civil War—rang out as trade unionists, Irish dockworkers, communists, Jews, and ordinary residents linked arms to block the roads.
Mosley and the BUF, meanwhile, had assembled near the Royal Mint, not far from the Tower of London. Accompanied by 3,000 Blackshirts dressed in their signature black uniforms, Mosley prepared to march eastwards into Whitechapel. To ensure that the BUF could proceed unimpeded, the authorities had deployed 6,000 police officers along the route, including mounted police who were tasked with clearing the demonstrators out of the way.
The Battle of Cable Street
As the Blackshirts began to march, they were met with fierce resistance. At Gardiner’s Corner, mounted police charged into the crowds, attempting to force them onto the pavements. However, the demonstrators, numbering between 20,000 and 30,000, refused to yield. Local tram drivers abandoned their vehicles in the streets to block the route, while others clashed with police in an effort to prevent them from making any headway. Chants of "Down with the fascists!" echoed through the streets as women threw rotten vegetables, bottles, and bricks at the advancing officers.
Unable to push through the crowds, Mosley decided to alter his route and head down Cable Street, a narrow, winding road that ran parallel to the main thoroughfare. However, the anti-fascist coalition had anticipated this move. Early in the morning, barricades had been erected along Cable Street using anything that could be found—old furniture, mattresses, timber, and even rubbish. The barricades were reinforced with broken glass, and marbles were scattered on the street to impede the police horses.
When the police and Blackshirts reached the first barricade, they were met with even more intense resistance. Local residents and demonstrators, many of them positioned in the upper floors of buildings lining the street, rained down projectiles on the police and Blackshirts below. Boiling water and bricks were hurled from windows, while those on the ground fought hand-to-hand with the police. Women and children played an active role in the resistance, with some women famously pouring chamber pots onto the officers from above.
At the heart of the resistance was the principle of community solidarity. Jews, Irish dockworkers, communists, and socialists stood shoulder to shoulder, determined to defend their neighbourhood from fascist intimidation. The fight was not just about stopping the march—it was a stand against the hatred and division that the BUF represented. After hours of skirmishes, the police were unable to break through the barricades, and the decision was made to call off the march. Mosley and his Blackshirts were forced to retreat, humiliated and defeated.
Aftermath and Legacy
The immediate aftermath of the Battle of Cable Street saw around 79 anti-fascist demonstrators arrested, many of whom were subjected to police brutality. Some were sentenced to hard labour, while others faced fines. Despite this, the anti-fascist movement considered the day a resounding victory. Mosley’s BUF was unable to march through the East End, and the events of that day galvanised further resistance to fascism across Britain. Only six Blackshirts were arrested, highlighting the disparity in how the authorities dealt with the opposing sides.
In the longer term, the events of Cable Street had a significant impact on British politics. The government, recognising the potential for further violence, passed the Public Order Act of 1937, which banned the wearing of political uniforms in public, directly targeting groups like the BUF. This legislation dealt a heavy blow to Mosley’s movement, which had relied heavily on its paramilitary image and public displays of force.
The Battle of Cable Street also resonated far beyond the East End. It became a symbol of the wider anti-fascist struggle in Europe. Many of those who had fought against the Blackshirts went on to volunteer for the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War, seeing the fight against Franco’s fascists as part of the same global struggle. The slogan “They Shall Not Pass,” originally coined by the Republican forces in Spain, became forever associated with Cable Street and the broader fight against fascism.
In the years that followed, the BUF's influence waned. Although they continued to hold rallies and Mosley remained a public figure, their ability to mobilise large numbers had been severely curtailed. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Mosley and other BUF leaders were interned under Defence Regulation 18B, effectively ending the BUF’s political influence.
For the residents of the East End and those who had taken part in the Battle of Cable Street, the events of that day were not just a victory over fascism, but a testament to the power of solidarity. Diverse communities—Jewish, Irish, socialist, and communist—had come together to defend their neighbourhood, demonstrating that even in the face of hate and violence, unity could prevail.
Mural.
Today the memory of this event is commemorated with a 330m2 mural on the side of St George Town hall. Commissioned by the Greater London Council in the late 1970s to commemorate the anti-fascist resistance of 1936, it vividly depicts the moment when local Jewish residents, Irish dock workers, and other East Enders united to block Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists, capturing scenes of barricades, banners, and police clashes. Initially painted by artist Dave Binnington in 1979, the project faced repeated vandalism, leading Binnington to withdraw. The mural was later completed by artists Paul Butler, Ray Walker, and Desmond Rochfort in 1983. Today, it stands as a powerful symbol of resistance, collective action, and the multicultural spirit of the East End.