British Union of Fascists Anti-fascists Third National Government Oswald Mosley Phil Piratin Philip Game Central Europe Germany Italy Spain (Spanish Civil War) Albania Austria Baltic states Belgium Bulgaria Burma China Czechia Denmark France Germany Greece Italy Japan Jewish Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Poland Romania Slovakia Spain Soviet Union Yugoslavia Germany Italy Netherlands Portugal Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom United States The Battle of Cable Street was a series of clashes that took place at several locations in the East End of London, most notably Cable Street, on Sunday 4 October 1936.

Thousands of BUF followers, dressed in their Blackshirt uniform, intended to march through the heart of the East End, an area that then had a large Jewish population.

The BUF was to gather its supporters at the southernmost of these three entrances, at Tower Hill and adjacent Royal Mint Street in East Smithfield, at 2:30.

[6] The intention was that Mosley would formally review the assembled force, after which it would march from Tower Hill and divide into four columns, each heading for one of four open-air public meetings where Mosley and other speakers, including William Joyce, John Beckett, Tommy Moran and Alexander Raven Thomson, would address gatherings of BUF supporters:[6][11][12] In response their opponents, who knew of the intended meetings but not the intended routes from Tower Hill, called on the main mass of their support to gather at the central of East End's three entry points, Aldgate, for 2pm.

The head of the Metropolitan Police, Philip Game, established his HQ at the junction of Mansell and Royal Mint Streets by Tower Hill.

A party entering Tower Hill from nearby Mark Lane tube station was attacked, as was a group in Mansell Street.

[11] At 2pm the police began the process of separating the factions, by which time there were already a significant number of injuries including Tommy Moran, who was leading the BUF force until Mosley's later arrival.

At 11:30, a column of the largely Jewish Ex-Servicemen's Movement Against Fascism marched along Whitechapel Road, wearing their WWI medals and carrying their Royal British Legion standard before them.

[22] Although some counter-protesters had headed to Cable Street, large numbers remained around Aldgate, and the police continued their attempts to clear a route.

[27][28] The anti-fascists celebrated the community's united response, in which large numbers of East-Enders of all backgrounds; Protestants, Catholics and Jews successfully resisted Mosley and his followers.

[3][30] The Fascists presented themselves as the law-abiding party who were denied free speech by a weak government and police force in the face of mob violence.

[31] Following the battle, the Public Order Act 1936 outlawed the wearing of political uniforms and required organisers of large meetings and demonstrations to obtain police permission.

[32] Mosley subsequently held a series of rallies around London, and the BUF increased its membership in the capital city,[33] although their activity in Britain was severely limited.

Commissioned soon after the 40th anniversary of the battle, the Cable Street Mural is the collective work of four artists: David Binnington, Paul Butler, Desmond Rochfort, and Ray Walker.