Thousands gathered in east London on Sunday to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street, but the event was marred by anti-Zionist chants and confrontations, despite the original demonstration having been organized to prevent fascists from intimidating the area's Jewish population.
Participants marched from Tower Hamlets Town Hall in Whitechapel to St George's Gardens on Cable Street, marking the October 4, 1936, confrontation in which Jewish residents, trade unionists, Irish dockworkers and other anti-fascist demonstrators prevented supporters of British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley from marching through a predominantly Jewish neighborhood.
However, footage from Sunday's commemoration showed demonstrators chanting against Zionism and Israel, with some declaring that Zionists were not welcome at the event.
Among the slogans heard were "Zionism no more!", "Smash the Zionist settler state!", "We are all anti-Zionists!" and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."
Protesters were also heard shouting "Go back home," while other participants chanted "Zionism is fascism" and "Zionists are not welcome here."
In another video, demonstrators were seen surrounding and physically pushing an individual whom they accused of being a Zionist.
The scenes stood in contrast to the historical significance of the Battle of Cable Street, which has become a symbol of resistance to antisemitism and fascism in Britain.
The original confrontation took place when Mosley's British Union of Fascists, whose members were known as Blackshirts, attempted to parade through London's East End, then home to a substantial Jewish immigrant population.
The planned march was widely regarded as an antisemitic provocation. Large crowds of residents and anti-fascist activists gathered to obstruct the route, constructing barricades and confronting police officers attempting to clear a path for the fascists.
The authorities eventually prevented Mosley's supporters from proceeding along their intended route.
Ninety years later, demonstrators commemorating that resistance carried banners condemning antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism. One prominent banner invoked the original protesters' slogan, "They shall not pass," alongside the years 1936 and 2026.
Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has faced longstanding accusations of antisemitism, participated in Sunday's commemoration and addressed the crowd.
In his remarks, Corbyn condemned what he described as anti-immigrant rhetoric from the British right and spoke about the importance of opposing racism. He also singled out Islamophobia as a threat associated with far-right movements in Europe.
The demonstration included trade union representatives, anti-racism organizations and pro-Palestinian groups.
A confrontation was also reported between participants and two counter-protesters carrying flags bearing the name of the Campaign Against Antisemitism. Police reported that one man was arrested for breach of the peace and subsequently for public order offenses.
Amid concerns that Jewish participation in the original Battle of Cable Street was being overlooked, Jewish organizations and their supporters arranged a distinct contingent within Sunday's anniversary march.
The contingent, supported by groups including Cable Street Jews, Stop the Hate and Our Fight, planned to assemble at Aldgate East Station before joining the larger demonstration. Participants intended to carry photographs of Jewish residents who had helped resist Mosley's fascists in 1936.
Ahead of the event, tensions increased after messages attributed to the anti-Israel International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN) encouraged activists to confront Zionist participants.
The messages urged demonstrators to bring Palestinian flags and keffiyehs to communicate that Zionists were unwelcome.
Responding to the campaign, Stop the Hate told the Jewish Chronicle that Jewish participants should not be required to demonstrate agreement with particular political positions before being permitted to commemorate their community's history.
"Cable Street is part of our history. Nobody gets to erase Jewish people from our own story," the group stated.
The organization stressed that Jews had played a central role in resisting the Blackshirts and called on participants to respect one another despite political disagreements.
Our Fight, an organization campaigning against antisemitism, also criticized efforts to exclude Zionist Jews from the commemoration.
"The left are now the Blackshirts," the group declared, accusing anti-Israel activists of adopting the exclusionary behavior that demonstrators had opposed in 1936.
Separately, the Board of Deputies of British Jews organized Cable Street 90, a festival running from October 1 to 11, featuring Jewish music, films, historical tours, discussions and cultural events commemorating the Jewish community's role in the events of 1936.
Concerns about Jewish exclusion had already emerged during preparations for the anniversary. Trade union Unite initially announced commemorative activities for Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, while its promotional website omitted references to the Jewish community. Following criticism, the website was amended and the main march was moved to Sunday.