The London History Show: The Battle Of Cable Street
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- Welcome to the London History Show!
Every episode, we'll be looking at a different statue, plaque, building or feature of London's landscape that you can find for yourself, and we'll tell its story.
In this episode, we look at the mural on the side of St. George's Town Hall, and what it can teach us about fighting back the rising tide of fascism.
Join my patrons here: www.patreon.com/jdraperlondon
Find my TikTok here: / jdraperlondon
Book tours with me here: www.eventbrite...
---------------
Sources:
Cable Street Group, 2011. The Battle of Cable Street 1936.
Demissie, S. & Iglikowski, V. 2016. ‘No pasarán’: the Battle of Cable Street. blog.nationalar...
Haynes, S. 2016. The Enduring Lessons Of The Battle Of Cable Street, 80 Years On. time.com/451627...
Hersch, A. 2016. Fighting For The East End. Hamaor, October 2016.
Lawrence, D., Silver, S. & Gallant, E. 2016. The Battle Of Cable Street: 80 Years On. www.cablestreet.uk
Rosenberg, D. 2016. “An Antidote To The Far Right’s Poison”- The Battle For Cable Street’s Mural. www.theguardia...
Thank you so much. I was teaching in the East End of London from 1972 - 1978. My local school keeper taught me about the battle of cable street & how his father & his uncle fought the fascists (brown shirts?). The Bangladeshi refugees/immigrants arrived during those years & were loath to accept any form of state aid because in their culture it counted as charity & so their children would lose caste status forever. The school meal service was unprepared to cater for children with specific dietary requirements & egg salad was all that seemed to be on offer. Maggie Thatcher (spit) was education minister at the time & decided to abolish free school milk despite the fact that rickets was evidenced in classrooms. I among many thousands of teachers from all over the UK marched in protest of these & other divisive government policies. It is worth remembering that waves of immigrants have been arriving in London & other UK cities for hundreds of years, moving from impoverished to more affluent areas & making way for the next wave of displaced persons. But people have been moving around the globe for thousands of years. As an island people trade has been an economic & political necessity since before written history & cultural enrichment as well as economic enrichment has been the result. Later we marched in support of ancillary workers & again in support of nurses. At the same time there was much sympathy for the Irish on both sides of the Irish sea because of what amounted to apartheid against Roman Catholics & pro Protestants - totally undemocratic. The 'troubles' are something that no sane person wants to revive! What is happening in the UK now is a culmination of what successive governments have subversively engineered since the 1970s. The Welfare state is all but dismantled, PAYE taxpayers & consumers have seen their earnings & disposable income leave the country due to privatisation (mostly by foreign companies & governments) of essential services, utilities & transport links. The EEC (EU) was primarily a Peace Project that has maintained peace in Europe through trade & security agreements for longer than at any time in recorded history - a stellar achievement. I am now too old & infirm to march for peace & prosperity much less fight for the same but there is a younger generation that needs to fight for their future & for democracy. Good luck - 'fair winds & following seas'.
never too old mate , many is the time we both have seen the firmest feet in a march are those of our veteran class fighters ,
@@tomfinney3416 Power to them. Cheers! Sadly my legs are unreliable these days.
The BUF were the ‘Black’ shirts. I know this because my aunt wanted to join them because she liked the uniform (!) She wasn’t the brightest…and luckily she was talked out of it by one of her sisters…
@@bob_the_bomb4508 Thanks for the info. I knew that the Nazis in Germany were known as Black Shirts but the people that told me about fighting the British Nazis in the East End of London referred to them as Brown Shirts - hence the confusion. Cheers.
Some utter garbage here. The EU has never, and will never, be a project for 'peace' It didn't exist until 1993 and the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. Justifying mass-immigration with the argument that people have been moving around the globe for centuries is just plain stupid. Mass immigration of this form used to be called an invasion and was met with armed forces. But I suspect you live in some leafy suburb or town that has never experience the 'advantages' of the 'cultural enrichment' the current wave of 'refugees' bring with them.
Very eye-opening video. Feels like we are so close to the same kind of clashes again.
Great article
The moral is clear
Organise!
If it helps with your question about what side you'd be on ... in my experience, you don't always know in advance, but when the moment comes, you find out in a hurry.
A couple years ago, I was attending a peaceful protest that was counterprotested by local neo-Nazis, mostly armed with sticks and bats. There was a line of terrible people along part of the street, a thin line of cops, and then a line of people with rainbow flags having a dance party. Because it was hot and space was limited, people were taking turns on the dance line and then taking water breaks on a nearby patch of grass.
A few minutes after I cycled off the line, I was sitting on the grass with a new friend, eating trail mix and drinking water and discussing comic books. (I had brought a plastic Captain America shield, both to catch the attention of passersby and because, well, antifascism.) We heard shouts and running feet, and looked up.
The police line had broken (or, knowing the local cops, "broken"), and a group of men with sticks, one with sig runes tattooed on his neck, were chasing a teenage boy I'd seen on the dance line. The boy was running straight for us, and my new friend was in leg braces that made running impossible.
I would call it the dumbest decision of my life if I'd actually DECIDED anything, but what actually happened was my body moved without consulting my brain and I jumped up and planted myself between terrible people with sticks and someone who couldn't escape. I even put the shield into a brace position as if it would actually do something, because I am apparently a theater kid to my bones and if I'm going to get beaten with sticks I will look DRAMATIC doing it. (Context: I am a 5'5" woman who looks like an English teacher.)
Things got a little complicated after that, but everyone managed to get out of the situation mostly uninjured, and I was left to wonder what in the name of sanity I'd thought I was doing. The only answer I could come up with was, "Well, what else was I supposed to do? RUN and LEAVE them there?"
Before that happened, I'd had no idea I was the sort of person who'd do, uh, that. But apparently I was. I hope you never have to find out, but if you do, you might surprise yourself.
You stood up not only to be counted but to be tested & you passed with flying colours.
@@MazzaEliLi7406 it made me chuckle too Mazza , and remember with fondness the time when i also said ok lion you can roar
Stand ye calm and resolute,
Like a forest close and mute,
With folded arms and looks which are
Weapons of unvanquished war.
And if then the tyrants dare,
Let them ride among you there;
Slash, and stab, and maim and hew;
What they like, that let them do.
With folded arms and steady eyes,
And little fear, and less surprise,
Look upon them as they slay,
Till their rage has died away:
Then they will return with shame,
To the place from which they came,
And the blood thus shed will speak
In hot blushes on their cheek:
Rise, like lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number!
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you:
Ye are many-they are few!
@@MazzaEliLi7406 I was very, very dumb (with my giant target of a shield, I could probably have diverted the attackers' attention and sent the charge in another direction), but at least my reflexes were on the side of what was right.
@@tomfinney3416 Safety in numbers. Cheers!
@@tomfinney3416 Strength in numbers! Cheers.
British police/government:
we can't stop the fascists
Also British police:
we must stop the anti-fascists
Loud and clear from across the pond. Literal nazis given guards, anti-fascist pulled off the streets by unidentified blacked-out officers in unmarked vans. Luckily they all got out in like a week.
"liberal" States always favor the fascists over antifascists because fascists help the elite to keep its wealth.
Anti-fascists: we can't stop the capitalists
Also anti-fascists: we must stop the Fascists
Kek
@@GAMER123GAMING Cable Street shown clear you can stop fascists. That capitalists love fascists and support them is another issue. Many revolution shown you can also stop capitalists but you need more forces and people need to stop being brainwashed.
Night Watch by Terry Pratchett has a lot more meaning to me now. Also a scary reminder of how scary it is in the USA right now (lives in FL) Very sad that we were not able to move to the UK 20 years ago when we wanted to.
Night Watch was my immediate thought, too. Also I think in Thud there was a protest of dwarves going up Short Street and one of trolls going down it, and this reminded me of that, too.
My thought as soon as I saw the title was "wait, that really happened?" (I'm Canadian, so many of Sir Terry's references miss me.)
I also live in FL so I understand that weight of your statement.
I live in NC. What happened was political sorting during the Obama era -- people mad their president was Black. The south has always had problems, but it was never this bad
is it just me or is the audio coming only from the left channel? pun unintended.
Is it incompetence or art?
They have drawn all the figures, but painted them with the wrong brushes imho.
@@JDraper yes
I see the Daily Mail has not changed its editorial policy 😡
I couldn't figure out what was going on till I put my headphones in lol.
British Gov't: It's not our place to stop demonstrations
Also British Gov't: ...unless those demonstrations are anti-fascist. Send in the police cavalry!
Really weird how it's "defending democracy" when they defend an explicitly anti-democratic organization
You did not just take the side of the communists when they were the ones throwing bricks at people for marching down a street 💀
History repeats...
My father arrived in the UK from Austria, on a kindertransport, in 1938. He brought me up to never back down from bullies. He used to delight in taking family and friends on his "misguided tours of London". I once attended an Anti Apartheid demo in 1971, aged 15, in the Strand. I remember being sandwiched right up against the police line, between us and the National Front counter protestors with their Union Jacks, hung on long spiked flag poles. All I could remember thinking was, "why are they not being arrested for carrying offensive weapons ?" Some things don't change, as you have pointed out. Now subscribed to your fascinating chanel.
More antisemites on British streets today than in the 1930s.
All from the peaceful religion.
A police force is fascist by it's nature, and naturally attracts fascists into it's ranks.
My dad told me about the battle of Cable Street when I was a kid. At age 14 he had been clubbed to the ground a few years earlier by a mounted copper during the general strike of 1926. And he was just walking home! And they're still at it, defending the exploiters against the workers.
Coppers back then didn't mess about. They would break your bones, torture you and cover it up.
@@EzioAuditoreDaFirenze99- "back then"
@@danielcrafter9349 This is Britain. I can use the past tense.
@@EzioAuditoreDaFirenze99I used to think that about New Zealand too. Then I started living in a street that was a sort of "well known trouble spot"/ high density social housing area. There was very regular police presence in the street which helped settle things a lot. Then I eventually got interviewed by them a few times and realized that they really weren't interested in hearing what happened if it didn't suit their narrative, the narrative that got things done more simply for them. It is really frightening to have been caught up in something because of proximity and then realize that not only are you not safe, the people who are employed to keep everyone safe are saying that you are a trouble maker and not believable and they definitely won't help if you ask for it. I basically felt the privilege I had had growing up lower middle class pulled out from under my feet because of my address. I have no idea what it is like to face that every day because of your appearance or race. Police are trying to keep the peace from their perspective. For them a lot of the time that means whatever gives them an easy life.
The police were actually defending the workers. The exploiters are infact the masses of Jews, degenerates, champagne socialists and monkeys. Just to let you know
Cutting wages and unemployment benefits to force people, through poverty, to take any job going in an attempt to solve the financial crisis the country is in and reduce unemployment rather than putting more money, not less, into the pockets of consumers.. Ringing any bells with anyone else, or is it just me?
"Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck?
@@jainra
This is what many governments (largely through their central banks) are attempting to do right now. Trying to bring about unemployment and low wages for the sake of "the economy"
Er... don't forget the "Daily Mail" was keen on Mosely. One headline was "Hurrah for the Blackshirts!"
fair play to learn about the Irish dock workers.
This was a nicely made and engrossing essay of London's history, and so are the rest of your videos. You made another new subscriber!
Mosley was pro United Ireland.
@@evolassunglasses4673 he was a scum-sucking fascist, and no friend of anyone outside his own immediate self-interests
@@evolassunglasses4673 so was Churchill when it suited him
@@evolassunglasses4673everyone was pro united ireland. some were for it being united as a sovereign republic, others were for it being united as an oppressed part pf the british empire.
@@jurgnobs1308It clearly fit in his agenda. Fascism is Neo socialism with radical right wing ideas like state run or nationalism. Tell me how would the state of britian would operate if it had a extreme division in culture,language,and nationalism. He clearly would’ve released Ireland and he clearly would stop the exploitation of sweat shops in Asian and Africa. So the British people can have jobs in those industries. Churchhill is a bum a general who sat in the back in ww1 and never fought in the trenches unlike Mosley a true British nationalist.
And it's been made damn sure that Keynes's HUMANE economic model has been made nonexistent again.
Every game needs a referee for fair play.
Any capitalist or free market sympathiser will not agree...
Why? Money is being 'taken' from their portfolio intended for their descendants, instead being distributed within communities who not only need that investment for survival but true support and development of the greatest asset we have...
People.
Keynes was a huge supporter of the Mosley memorandum.
@@liamscott1905 Noted, but irrelevant as this economic template can be installed within most political infrastructures.
Robust checks and balances should be in place to prevent excessive profiteering, widespread deregulation, cartel operations and corporate/governmental corruption. Things we've seen all too often; OPEC, utility companies profiteering during a cost of living crisis etc.
Thanks for the info though.
Mosely got off lightly,should have been at least jailed during the war and banned from public life forever,The upper echelons at the time protected him.
Cut and paste from Wikipedia: "!Unbeknown to Mosley, MI5 and the Special Branch had deeply penetrated the BUF and were also monitoring him through listening devices. Beginning in 1934, they were increasingly worried that Mosley's noted oratory skills would convince the public to provide financial support to the BUF, enabling it to challenge the political establishment.[53] His agitation was officially tolerated until the events of the Battle of France in May 1940 made the government consider him too dangerous. Mosley, who at that time was focused on pleading for the British to accept Hitler's peace offer of March, was detained on 23 May 1940, less than a fortnight after Winston Churchill became Prime Minister.[1] Mosley was interrogated for 16 hours by Lord Birkett[53] but never formally charged with a crime, and was instead interned under Defence Regulation 18B. Most other active fascists in Britain met the same fate, resulting in the BUF's practical removal at an organised level from the United Kingdom's political stage.[1] Mosley's wife, Diana, was also interned in June,[54] shortly after the birth of their son (Max Mosley); the Mosleys lived together for most of the war in a house in the grounds of Holloway prison. The BUF was proscribed by the British Government later that year."
He was jailed from 1940 to 1943 and under house arrest and police supervision after. His supporters got him to return to politics in the late 1940s and he campaigned for a European Union.
The unsavoury truth is that many British politicians and public figures in the ‘30s who were later described as “appeasers” were actually quietly pro-Nazi.
Lord Reith, who ran the BBC back then, revealed in his posthumously published private diaries to have fantasised of being a willing collaborator, should the Nazis ever have successfully invaded Britain. And I’m pretty sure he was not the only semi-secret pro-Nazi among the British upper classes.
@@frankshailes3205he still made speeches of Anti-Capitalism and Pro Nationalist speeches too. He was still a fascist.
They shut him down moron. They banned his party. The capitalists were having fun with their little controlled opposition puppets. But then someone who wasnt playing the capitalist game came along and threatened to RUIN EVERYTHING.
I remember my grandad saying how he fought against Mosleys Fascists. He was from London not far from Cable Street but he never went in to details so I dont know if it was this battle or another I just onow it was during a march.
He later went on to join the RAF during the war but he never spoke about that, even refused a medal.
To me, he was incredibly proud about fighting in the streets but saw his war time fighting as a duty.
I doubt I would have had the same commitment today (I have a family to care for) but would like to think I would and if I I it would be in his memory
My grandparents were there, but I also heard almost nothing about it directly from them. I would also hope that I'd have been there.
You can’t refuse a medal. It’s an award for distinguished service or a record of participation in a campaign. Its on your record.
It’s potentially possible to refuse to display the medal on your uniform but that’s being ‘improperly dressed’ and subject to disciplinary action, even potentially a court martial. Brave indeed to do that.
@@bob_the_bomb4508 I'm don't know the specifics, I just remember being told it back in the 90s.
Did he ever accept any responsibility for the horrors his behaviour caused?
@The Manchester Collective mosley? No. He even returned to politics in 1948. Wanting a Eurpean Union.
Fantastic video! Thank you
Tankike
Fascinating story, I think you did a great job of shaping the landscape of the protesters. Remarkably poignant, I'm going to share this with my students!
As an educator wouldn't be better to share something balanced and accurate?
@@themanchestercollective3616 balanced to show the perspective of the BUF and Nazi Germans, you're saying? I'll pass
@@assses-3216 "sources" lol, I'm sure they are.
I would agree that a balanced analysis and debate would involve the input of people from both sides.
Wouldn't you?
@@assses-3216 your bigotry has you jumping to all kinds of conclusions that just aren't true.
You don't know everything I've said or what I do or don't understand.
Try a little empathy. You're right on the sympathy but that's about it.
@@assses-3216 it's a historical fact. Mosley was anti-war.
And I'm not your mate.
The importance of the battle of cable street cannot be overstated.
Many in the uk establishment were pro-fascist at the time. The defeat of the fascists at street level was a shot across their bow.
Immigrants escaping tyranny are always viewed as soft targets. And racists always seem to need somebody else to do their thinking for them. I had expected this problem would have been history by now, but here we are, still watching people worship at the feet of their chosen one. And licking their boots.
New binge watcher here. I find your usual structure of concluding the piece by relating history to modern day concerns is ... refreshing, valuable, and to be commended. Your personal reflections are thought-provoking and touching. Good work! Keep it up!
Just found your channel today. As someone who’s lived in London for the last 7 years and moved around it a fair bit I’m realising just how little I know about where I live. Amazing content - give us more!
Great history but also great story telling! I wanted to learn more about cable street, which I did, but I left with some nuggets to think about too!
Mosley reminds me of P G Wodehouse's character, ''Roderick Spode'', in the Jeeves and Wooster series. I'm sure the resemblence is not coincidental, but I suppose the real Oswald was a lot scarier. Being American, the significance of 'Every Englishman's Right to grow his own Root Vegetables'' escapes me.
Spode is a direct parody of Mosley, I'm certain, considering how straightforward and obvious it is!
Wodehouse was a wonderful writer but his political views were naive. During WWII he lived in France and, at the behest of the Nazis, made a series of pro-German radio programmes.
As a German with one great-grandfather in the Wehrmacht, and another one in a KZ for being a communist, wondering if I had been on the good side has always been a struggle. My commitment is always to be an antifascist.
so you chose the bad side.
So you choose the right side
So you chose another evil instead of just being normal
Think for yourself mate, Joining an uneducated ill-informed mob just makes you weak.
@@sayhelllotomylittlefriends if you've got 9 people who are fascists and 1 person who is just going along with it, you've got 10 fascists.
But I bet you knew that already, didn't you? Fucking coward.
Glad I came across this one - thank you so much for telling this story. As a Jewish American planning my third trip to London, a place I'm quickly learning to love, it's important historical context one doesn't get on typical tours.
Thank you for all your videos -- they're fantastic!
My grandad fought the fascists and he took part in battle of Cable St.
I am extremely proud of him.
@@JackSardonic pathetic attempt at whataboutism Fascist.
You destroyed England and will end up with Islam.
*looks out side and sees wife get acid attacked, children get mugged, the police trying to stop it but laughed at, someone shitting on the sidewalk. Tears up and smiles* "Thanks grandad"
Your dad is OUR hero
Your Grandad was a true hero, No Pasaran!
Great video, except for the audio only being on the left, Which I find annoying. This is an amazing story. Reading Winter Of The World by Ken Follett is how I found out about this event, and it's great to be able to go on RUclips and see these videos and see the reality of it all.
Glad it's not just me! wasn't sure if my speakers were playing up again.
Maybe it's a nod the subject matter. Left-only audio, no fascist audio here!
@@RaunienTheFirst political compass = political opinion automatically gets made illegal for everyone.
@@GAMER123GAMING my pfp always manages to trigger just the right kinds of people. It's amazing, really.
I see your other comments. Crawl back into your hole, fascist, before we do Cable Street 2.
Have you heard "The Battle of Cable Street" by 'The Men They Couldn't Hang'? Play it and enjoy!
I found your channel recently through RUclips shorts and have been much informed and entertained. This one, however, might be my favorite because of your raw honesty and vulnerability in a) wondering what your historical role would have been and b) saying you weren't brave enough to show your face. Thank you for all of your content. If I ever go to London, I'm definitely booking a private tour for me and the family.
Something that I find interesting to explore, although it is expected, of course, is how newspaper articles and clips dealth with the topic of fascism. We shouldn't underestimate the fact that by NOT being the almost taboo word it's become today, we can read these articles without the opaque filter that is now implanted today whenever the mere concept of it is is lurking at us today. In other words: those newspaper articles address fascism as it was progressing in real time back then without the distorting mirror that affects the very same topic whenever a reporter would deal with the very same subject. Much like how Eve or Adam would discuss and/or describe their body after the original sin , those original articles involving the 'fascist party' and fascism like any present-day new ideology provide an invaluable window on how history is made. After a word becomes stained forever, especially to the extent fascism took when Germany's leaders veered in collective destruction and madness, its very use at the first degree becomes almost impossible. Fascism/fascist is a very pejorative moniker for any ideology. The problem with this is that the concept behind the word could still apply to an ideology, but the very nature of living semantics being to disguise (consciously or not) a concept with a neologism or a circumlocution, one has to dig up a little to make an equivalence with bona fide fascism, due to social filters. These original articles describe the real thing without prejudice (although well-founded).
Cut and paste from Wikipedia: "Unbeknown to Mosley, MI5 and the Special Branch had deeply penetrated the BUF and were also monitoring him through listening devices. Beginning in 1934, they were increasingly worried that Mosley's noted oratory skills would convince the public to provide financial support to the BUF, enabling it to challenge the political establishment.[53] His agitation was officially tolerated until the events of the Battle of France in May 1940 made the government consider him too dangerous. Mosley, who at that time was focused on pleading for the British to accept Hitler's peace offer of March, was detained on 23 May 1940, less than a fortnight after Winston Churchill became Prime Minister.[1] Mosley was interrogated for 16 hours by Lord Birkett[53] but never formally charged with a crime, and was instead interned under Defence Regulation 18B. Most other active fascists in Britain met the same fate, resulting in the BUF's practical removal at an organised level from the United Kingdom's political stage.[1] Mosley's wife, Diana, was also interned in June,[54] shortly after the birth of their son (Max Mosley); the Mosleys lived together for most of the war in a house in the grounds of Holloway prison. The BUF was proscribed by the British Government later that year."
You know what? Good as your videos are - and they really are - this one in particular has been probably the one that has had me thinking the most, for the reasons you gave about your own thoughts on it.
This video was an excellent historical excursion into the political clusterbollock that was Britain at that time. Yet it was the clearest description of (and explanation for!) the Battle of Cable Street that I have seen. You speak as one who holds a degree in history, given how authoritative your command of it is. Part of my university study profile is in history, although it was mostly modern Irish history - another reason why this video resonated with me.
I've been watching a while now and I noticed I hadn't subbed.
Today I rectified that oversight.
My Grandfather was born in Cable Street, he would have been about three at the time. Family were Scots/Irish dockers. I don’t know if they took part, but they must certainly have witnessed it.
I can almost guarantee they were in the pub for 97% of it, busting polis heids for 1% of it, and 2% misc/unknown.
I clicked as a Discworld fan, knowing STP includes a lot of callbacks and comparisons in his novels.
But this didn't much sound like the Battle of Cable Street from Night Watch, and now I wanna know about what *that* history is.
Being conservative, nationalist and/or fascist comes from knowing nothing of a history one wants to "bring back". Thanks for that vid, cheers.
Being a liberal, globalist and/or capitalist comes from knowing nothing of a future you are pushing us towards, by the same standard.
Before you judge entire groups of people you should look to your own flaws first.
@@themanchestercollective3616 I stand my ground while adding your list. There is an alternative 💜
@@KuroKrad which in your opinion is?
@@themanchestercollective3616 liberal, globalist and capitalist are in no way the main opposition to conservative, nationalist or fascist ideologies haha. Ironically enough if you look at history you see their close ties. You just proved their point.
@@mynameisjoejeans you're entitled to your opinion.
To be considered logical though you might want to provide rationale for your claims.
My grandfather regularly fought with blackshirts in the 30's. Many members of the blackshirts or their supporters, were policemen.
Strange none of the police ever turns out to be a socialist.
3,000 blackshirts and 6,000 policemen
So, nine thousand fascists.
Damn
Math checks out, all pigs must become bbq.
Low IQ take
The Blackshirts weren't even there when the battle started
I'm sure you would have been out on the streets. I was at the Anti-Fascist demonstration against the National Front in Lewisham Borough in 1977, when not only mounted police but the shield carrying riot police were first deployed onto the streets of London. You have to realise that when you are one of many thousands and you vaguely know how to avoid getting caught, it's very unlikely that you would experience being beaten up or arrested. I was on many demos throughout the 70's - 80's and I honestly never got arrested, beaten up and caught by police or any fascists. ✊
Thank you for your service comrade ✊
It's a sad indictment that Britain today had
S brought me here with recent events leaving my thoughts dwelling on how our forebears dealt with those choosing to target those who don't have the means to defend themselves.
This was a fantastic video, why the events of The Black Shirt marches haven't been made into a mini series (when Peaky Blinders and the Cray Twins has been) I don't know. It seems like such a timely story, and a clear reminder about what can happen when everyone gets just a little bit stressed out with life, and looks or an easy scapegoat and solution.
The battle of cable at was featured in Peaky !
I was lucky to have gone to a very radical secondary school (late 1960’s/early 1970’s) and of course we did Arnold Wesker’s trilogy in English class - Chicken Soup with Barley (1958) deals with battle of Cable Street
That last line was fantastic.
I know this one is an old video of yours. I discovered your channel lately and I'm increasingly interested in all your production. Many may tell you compliments. I will only say thanks you a lot for the high quality of the work you give us.
Now I know the whole plot of peaky blinders season 6
@@yossielevitsky9757 hello
Wrong city.
I love this video, so informative and on point in the current political climate.
1:12 : I'm so glad I live in a time when our understanding of economics has evolved and governments react to economic downturns by helping the people worst affected, rather than blaming the downturn on the poor and unemployed being lazy, "simply not willing to work anymore" and deciding the solution is to cut their earnings further to push them to work for even more exploitatively low wages. Or god forbid, say that what the country needs is *more* unemployment. I'm glad I don't live in a time like that.
What's that you say?
Thank you for what you do we need more voices in the dark that surrounds us
3:16 - Facists with a Tory MP as leader?
Standard, right?
Many thanks for this video. Much hasn’t changed in 5 years, though it appears that fascism here on this side of the pond is showing signs of exhaustion- rage can be exhausting. And truth telling can be attitude altering. Once again, thank you.
The Algorithm has recently decided to put your videos in my Recommendations. This right here is one of my all-time favorite historical episodes. I had to type this before watching. Now to watch...
I just discovered your channel couple of days ago, late March 2023. I love how well balanced yet honestly you choose your words. And very pleased that you on the side of history that you’re on.
The Battle of Cable Street increased anti-Semitism, and caused the BUF to have a surge in its support.
A peaceful march by patriots was prevented when the police were attacked by Communist thugs.
By late October 1936 membership in the BUF had increased by 2,000, with many joining East End branches of the organisation.
In March 1937 the BUF received 18% of the East End vote, and around 30% of the non-Jewish vote, in the three main areas of the Cable Street confrontation.
Fascism is all of our enemy, not just Jews, Communists, Bangladeshis or Irish. While the presentation was extremely thoughtful and insightful, when you came to personal involvement, I couldn't help but be reminded of the Rock Against Racism situation in the late 1970s and early 80s, in the context of massive racial riots in response to police brutality. One rally in particular which I remember around 1982-3? involved the police escorting the National Front as they were at that time through Waterloo station, and the resulting scuffles resulted in Waterloo Bridge being closed for a few hours. While I was witness to many acts of violence between the National Front, the police and RAR, the most heartening thing was how we massively outnumbered them. (Added somewhat later) I would have to say we were inspired by Cable Street, that there were enough people outside the complacent middle class who cared enough that this kind of Kristallnacht would not be allowed to happen in London.
Obviously fascism was not an enemy of the Irish since Mosley felt at home in Ireland.
@@liamscott1905 Which part of Ireland and which neighborhood?
@Erin Mosash
Somewhere around eyrrecourt.
@@liamscott1905 So, one area in Ireland. Not Ireland as a whole.
Fascism is OUR enemy. Yet i've never heard a British politician more outspoken about the crimes commited in Ireland than mosley. All the communists want to do is make us fight to the death. Its beyond barbaric.
Disgusting. But I'm not at all surprised at police helping the fascists. They have always been sympathetic
Cut and paste from Wikipedia: "Unbeknown to Mosley, MI5 and the Special Branch had deeply penetrated the BUF and were also monitoring him through listening devices. Beginning in 1934, they were increasingly worried that Mosley's noted oratory skills would convince the public to provide financial support to the BUF, enabling it to challenge the political establishment.[53] His agitation was officially tolerated until the events of the Battle of France in May 1940 made the government consider him too dangerous. Mosley, who at that time was focused on pleading for the British to accept Hitler's peace offer of March, was detained on 23 May 1940, less than a fortnight after Winston Churchill became Prime Minister.[1] Mosley was interrogated for 16 hours by Lord Birkett[53] but never formally charged with a crime, and was instead interned under Defence Regulation 18B. Most other active fascists in Britain met the same fate, resulting in the BUF's practical removal at an organised level from the United Kingdom's political stage.[1] Mosley's wife, Diana, was also interned in June,[54] shortly after the birth of their son (Max Mosley); the Mosleys lived together for most of the war in a house in the grounds of Holloway prison. The BUF was proscribed by the British Government later that year."
@@IUsedToBeSomeoneElseX Thank you. Since this video drew parallels between 'then' & 'now' you may be interested to read HC 632 - Intelligence & security Committee of Parliament - The Russia Report UK which is available on RUclips in PDF format. This was published late & is heavily redacted. In the spirit of even handedness you may also be interested reading the on line version of Encyclopedia Britanicas' article on the Trilateral Commission.
I'm happy to see such a detailed history. I know things like this happened in the US as well, but I appreciate what you're able to tell us.
again we are about to repeat history the rise of the far right in Europe based on the fear of immigrants and a poor government in this country We need to teach the young so they do not fall into the same trap thanks for the post show this in schools
you're too late. Damage has been done and you havent rolled out the propaganda in time
Oh man, Sir Terry once again referenced history and I'm just now finding it.
My father witnessed the Battle of Cable Street, he had one word to describe Moseley and his Black Shirts - 'BASTARDS' .
Being a product of the American education system I hadn't heard of this clash before that I remember. I did know that Roderick Spode and his followers in the Jeeves and Wooster stories were a parody of Mosley and his crew so I was eager to learn more about him. But wait, there's something familiar here. Not Mosley. Not the parallels to today's anti-facist protests. Well, at least not entirely. Hmmm, what IS that nagging at the tip of my brain?
Then you showed the picture of the improvised barricade and talked about it's construction and it clicked. PRATCHETT!!
There's a reference to this in Night Watch! It's mixed into the general references to Les Mis, and a specific reference to Sherlock Holmes' Baker Street Irregulars, but it's there in the name of the Cable Street Particulars and some of the details of the fight.
I find it incredibly scary how much the situation in Europe resembles the 1930s at the moment and it worries me that people won't know which side to choose should it come down to it.
Uh… how? Neither fascism nor communism are commonplace (despite what the media will say).
That is just hyperbole
@@christianweibrecht6555 I expect that's what people in the 1930s were saying too. 🤷♂️
Thank you for this episode. We need to be reminded from time to time of the struggles that took place then. One correction though. Fascism is on the rise not only in Europe, but in the US and most worryingly, in the UK. Our own government has taken a sharp turn to the far right in the 13 years that the Tory party have been in power. They may not wear uniforms because they are against the law, but the policies and rhetoric are not far off 1930s Germany.
I wish my government could understand that cutting wages don't create new jobs.
ditto the rest of the world.
Facts
I wish people understood the "government" can include them. and can especially include them if they kill everyone else they dont like that is in the government. But to your average socialist/communist. This is fascism. If so then im Fascist.
The answer to the question: what would I have done if I had been there, then? is, what are you doing _now?_
If you're uncomfortable with the answers you find yourself giving yourself, perhaps this reflects discomfort with your current choices, and perhaps signals a reevaluation.
The sage advice to "ignore them & they'll go away" has never worked & will never work wrt the fash. The only way to deal with them is, whenever they show up, *"Fite dem back"* (search & enjoy)
I have only just recently. discovered your series. Bravo. You are a treasure. Thank you.
I hadnt looked at the Battle of Cable street since my dissertation. I liked how you picked up on the dichotomy of money lenders leading a communist 5th column
yes nonsense from you sir
A paradox that Schrodinger would be proud of.
Communism is Capitalism. Controlled opposition. Word of the day.
One lesson we can learn from this, is that old lesson, that History Repeats.
We like to think of ourselves as being highly evolved, better than all the animals, but the truth is that our 'civilised' nature is just a thin veneer over millennia of evolutionary behaviours. When we're hurting and times are bad, we so easily slid back into less civilised behaviours, lashing out at those we believe are to blame. Which is bad enough when it happens on an individual level, at least then there's a good chance that you can repair the damage caused by your angry words, but when groups of people combine in their pain and anger, others get hurt or killed.
Most of us have heard the old adage, that those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it, yet we think we are better than those who came before, that we won't repeat their mistake, but that's what they thought too, and so in our arrogance history repeats, as it did in their arrogance. Yet you have to have that arrogance, without it nothing will change, because you have to believe that you can make a difference, and you can, but only time will tell whether your mistakes will be new or a repeat.
There's a song about this, by a band called the young'uns, shich i think captures the view of a young boy there perfectly (it's based on someone who was actually there, and gave testimony to it many years later)
Solid stuff! And an important lesson to take about protests is that not everyone needs to be willing to take a police truncheon for the cause. Some people are, and God bless them, they're a righteous bunch, but for people who don't have that kind of physical courage, there are real and meaningful ways to contribute beyond that. We don't give nearly enough historical weight and credit to organizers and logistics people; the ones who agree to help ferry people to and from protests, or who bring out and distribute food and water, and so on. The people who provide first aid to those who get in fights are just as important as the fighters themselves.
There's a place for everyone in fighting the good fight. It all starts with showing up.
Like many videos there is a bit of confusion as to what is "left" and what is "right" politically. Communism is "left" and the USSR was Union of soviet SOCIALIST Republics. But Hitler's party was the National SOCIALIST Party, Socialism plus raciasim. BOTH were the LEFT. As an American, what I see as the "right" politically is free market economy (low gvmt. control), high personal liberty (again low gvmt. control), fair equal treatment of people of ALL races. I saw a documentary about Jews in the USA one episode seemed to be a Who's Who of Hollywood. I forgot all the names but it seems like starting in the 1920s many of our favorite big band leaders and comedians were Jewish. I'm a "goy" (non-Jew) but it seems like good people come in all races so Jews, Blacks, Hispanic, Asian, and any other race you want to name are all welcome to me. We all just need to respect the law and be good neighbors. In 2010 I moved to the Philippines, the people are so sweet here. Very welcoming to foreigners. A bit of history, when the Nazi persecution was starting just before WW2 President Manuel Quezon opened the Philippines to many Jews with favorable immigration policies. Also Filipinas are really beautiful and nice traditional housewife and mommy types so, like many Americans, I found my sweet wife here.
I suppose that means the Democratic People’s Republic of Nprth Korea must be a democracy? Not like anyone would lie to get the backing of the general public? Who exactly were the first people Hitler purged on the night of the long knives after gaining power? Was it the socialists? How strange! But he’s surely a socialist himself?! Don’t buy Nazi propaganda. Hitler was a fascist and fascism is a FAR right ideology.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me-and there was no one left to speak for me.
Excellent presentation - & a thoughtful ending that makes a lasting impact. Thank you.
Great video. i'm subscribing
Fave ! You should do more like this Very pleased to learn about the participation of Irish Dock workers
How long had anti-semitism been rife in the UK beforehand? Obviously there's a long history, but many people in Cable Street would have grown up under a Jewish prime minister in their youth. That's quite a change in a short amount of time.
Always has been rife
Frankly, the question of "would I have been on the right side of history?" is moot. You weren't there, and there's absolutely no telling where you would have landed. As you stated in your video, a lot of people turned to fascism simply because it gave them a scapegoat for their financial hardship. We'd all like to think that we would have sided against (what is now) the obvious bad guys, but sadly there's no telling. The first time I thought of where I'd be in history was after watching the James Cameron Titanic film, and I asked my mom whether we'd be in first class or third class, mostly out of an academic curiosity regarding our financial standing. Her answer, which frustrated me at the time, was "we wouldn't have been on the ship." Don't stress yourself over the possibility that you might have supported the baddies: the odds of you being in a completely different place, in a completely unrelated situation are far greater.
P.S. the fact that showing your face saying "fascism and antisemitism are bad" is considered dangerously political is abhorrent. I sincerely wish people would get their collective heads out of their collective single ass and agree to not be dicks.
P.P.S. I studied at Queen Mary in the East End for a single semester way back when, and I regret that I never bothered learning about the area's history more than "this is where Jack the Ripper did his crimes." Thank you for the history lesson!
it's not moot. history doesn't repeat but it does rhyme, we're heading back to a period of time similar to the 30's
@@afgor1088 It is moot because while there are some similarities, we live in a fundamentally different world.
The person who grew up in the 1920s to make the choice on Fascism in the 1930s are going to be largely incomparable to the person who grew up in the 2010s and has to make a choice on Fascism in the 2020s.
We have the luxury of 80 additional years of knowledge as to the dangers of Fascism. Notice that we (as a world) have abandoned Empire for the Nation-State, we have seen the global overton window shift towards a more democratic view in that time.
Simply put, if you are imagining the current fight as being the same the prior one then you're learning how to fight the prior fight just in time for a new and different fight.
Yes history rhymes, but if you're writing a poem and just looking to repeat stanzas then it is going to turn out subpar.
@@thomaswillard6267 not interested.
@@thomaswillard6267- no, not at all
You're quoting the "written by the winners" argument
But, that fails - everytime - as people are more compassionate and caring than media would have you believe
Humans are social creatures - diversity and acceptance are our default settings
I can never get enough of history. Even if it had nothing to do with my country of America.
If you want to learn about Mosley then tikhistory made some videos on him.
@@liamscott1905or just read his books.
"Which side would I be on?" is a moot question.
For you to have been there would have required you to grow up in such different circumstances to those you did experience, that you would be a fundamentally different person.
The real question is "Which side will I be on?"
Which side will you be willing to put yourself with when the inevitable comes to pass, given what you know now?
Against fascism. Always. My family have literally fought in war about it.
Excellent, I grew up in the east end, in hackney, I was unaware of this history of resisting fascism, its a history the east end needs to be proud of.
Brilliant - thank you so much! I've only recently discovered your channel, but this is the best video so far!
Nice work.
Nice work! Battle of cable street story is both informational and inspiring.
I've been subscribed for a while and I love your tiktoks, but this is the first time a video has been in my recommendations! I'm glad that it turned up. :)
Thank you. That was a difficult time on both sides "of the pond."
Great video. Thank you for making this.
5 years later, and still a relevant video
Prattchett fans will get the reference to Cable Street in the book Night Watch
Jools Holland also wrote a song on the changing population and people of the area in the song Brick Lane. Close to cable street
Really interesting. I see your sources but I don't see the google map in the description.
Is Terry pratchett's book Night Watch based in part on this event? If so I like that book even more now
It is (at least, I make the link). A classic example of STP presenting real issues in his fantasy world and making you think....
Sllightly off-topic, but if you like such links, go check out the Endeavour "Coda" episode (last of season 3 I think) which links Cable St. to STP in a third fictional setting.
I think there's been lots of events like this. Lilacs are nearly back in bloom, by the way
Thank you for this presentation: you really bring to life the people and history of London - and the resonances with contemporary times
I've recently been watching a lot of your shorts and more recently your longer videos too. This stuff is great!! keep it up. I look forward to your public walking tours coming back so I can bring some friends and family on one. Thanks for all you're doing.
I am grateful for this...education is one of the few ways to drive good healthy change
I can't hear any audio.
Fascinating bit of video
It is an easy way to find out what you would have done historically; what do you do today?
you are splendid, JDraper 💚
We have become more timid and brow-beaten in fighting fascism.
For me there is a link between the demonisation of the unions and industrial struggle, and political apathy.
Cannot remember the percentage of Britons who turned out for the "non-binding referendum" known as Brexit, other than it was less than 50%. This is a tragedy in a democratic country.
Are you seriously suggesting brexit was fascist? That bears so little resemblance to the actually fascism that would have been going on in the 1930s.
Unions are bollocks. If you want freedom or to destroy capitalism. then destroy it. Dont pretend to not play by their rules
The scariest aspect of this excellent video is the last spoken line- that you haven’t been brave enough to show your face. Do we live in as ominous a time as this video about the 1930’s?
Thank you, I think the content of the video shows that you are quite brave.
I remember reading the obituary of the famous Jewish East End gangster, Jack Spot (who looked remarkably like my boss at the time), who had claimed to have gathered his men and fought at Cable Street - though this might have actually been a fabrication on his part. I recall there might have been evidence for some of his gang being there, but evidence for him being there is more shaky.
Either way, he had a very interesting life, that I think would make a great video.
Thanks for this video. It's an important event that doesn't get talked about much - which is weird given it's importance and effect at the time, and how recent in our history it still is.
Truly inspiring
in my opinion it is quite adequate to pepper spray a facist
Women love their pepper spray
Now if you where to wear goggles...
fire@@GAMER123GAMING
Thank you so much! This is inspiring! .... reach out and help them organize against their exploitative landlords (landyards... :)).... A practical solution seems to work much better than explaining theory. Thank you again, I'll bear that in mind.