British Union of Fascists Riot: The Battle of Cable Street, London, Oct. 4, 1936

[appalachiablue]

Sir Oswald Mosley and the British Union of Fascists, BUF quasi- military 'Blackshirts' fought in London's East End against Jews, Trade Unionists, Socialists and Communists on Sunday, October 4, 1936.
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(Historic UK) Street brawls between fascists on one side and ‘Antifa’, communists and anarchists on the other. Although this may sound like something from the news of Portland, USA in 2020, this is East London in 1936. The 1930s was a period of seismic political change throughout Europe. Fascist dictators took power in Germany, Italy and Romania and left wing and communist movements rebelled against expanding fascism in countries like Spain.

In Britain, this tension culminated in a violent event in the East London area of Stepney, on Cable Street.



- Mosley with Mussolini.

The murderous pogroms in Russia and elsewhere in Europe had lead to many Jewish refugees arriving in the East End of London from the early 1900s. Stepney at the time was one of the poorest and most densely populated suburbs of London and many new immigrants settled in the area. By the 1930s the East End had a distinct Jewish population and culture.

Sir Oswald Mosley was the leader of the British Union of Fascists (BUF). Mosley met Mussolini in early 1932 and very much admired and modelled himself on the dictator. Mosley even created a new, sinister organisation – The Blackshirts – a quasi-military group of around 15,000 thugs, modelled on Mussolini’s Squadrismo.

The Blackshirts were known for their violence, after attacking a left-wing Daily Worker meeting in Olympia in June 1934. Much like elsewhere in Europe, there was growing antisemitism in Britain in the 1930s, partly as a scapegoat for the ongoing effects from the Great Depression. But as the number of fascists was growing, so too was the opposition against them. Trade unionists, communists as well as the Jewish community were becoming increasingly mobilised...
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Battle-Of-Cable-Street/
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- Hitler hosted the Duke & Duchess of Windsor in 1937 after the abdication.
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33594809

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-33578174

[mountain grammy]

1. I just looked this up tonight for a friend

I read about it in Ken Follett's book Winter of the World, and looked it up. Most of his trilogy was based on real events.

Tonight I was talking about attending the Women's March in DC in 2017, when millions marched against fascism in cities around the world. I said it was like the Battle of Cable Street. People will mobilize against fascism. I looked it up and sent the link to my friend.

[appalachiablue]

2. It's clear to many that people must mobilize to protect

democracy which we know is under attack from growing rw extremism, esp. in Europe.

Mosley the racist and his wife, Deborah Mitford associated with Hitler in the 1930s, as well as one of her sisters.

I added info above about film of Edward VIII showing the royal family how to do the Nazi salute in 1937, disgusting fascist sympathizer like wife Wallis with von Ribbentrop.

[mountain grammy]

4. Meantime back in the states, 20,000 Nazi Americans packed

Madison Square Garden for a make America great again Nazi rally on Washington's birthday, 1939.



If they had managed to get 20,000 at the capitol last week, we'd be in a whold different place.

[appalachiablue]

5. I was just going to post the 'Night at The Garden' film clip.

Done. 20,000 people turned out in Feb. 1939 for this event, incredible. Time to whip this monster again.

[burrowowl]

3. My, my some parallels