Paul FenwickNov 23

On the 4th October, 1936, the British Union of Fascists had planned a march to the East End of London.

Despite the petition of East Londoners, with 100,000 signatures over two days, the Home Office declined to ban the march. Authorities refused to allow a counter-march by the Ex-Servicemen's Movement Against Fascism, because the fascists had organised their march first.

On the day, around 3,000 fascists turned up for the march, protected by more than double that number in police.

The fascists and police were resisted by over ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND anti-fascists who erected barricades, chanting "They Shall Not Pass". Police attempted to dismantle the barricades and clear a path for the fascists, and were pelted with rotten vegetables, and the contents of chamber-pots thrown from upstairs residents.

There's a damn good reason why fascism had a hard time establishing itself in the UK; I'm pretty sure it wasn't the government nor the police.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cable_Street

#fascism #antifa

Show threadVulcanTouristNov 24

@pjf

Around that same time (1933) Churchill was PRAISING Mussolini! Damned straight that it wasn't the U.K. government fighting fascism; at that time they were leaning into it. And now again, in 2025....

Show threadGeofCox

@VulcanTourist @pjf

Fascism was widely supported in the British 'Establishment'. Mussolini was admired in the 20s, there was no intervention in Spain in the 30s. The fight against fascism was largely a post-war afterthought - at the time the motivation of Churchill etc was the prospect of Germany building a land empire that would challenge the economics of the British Empire.

Nov 24 at 6:58amWeb
Show threadViolet MadderNov 24

@GeofCox @VulcanTourist @pjf

And meanwhile the people who did the bulk of the actual fighting were Communists, but it's like hardly anyone recalls that part.

Show threadVulcanTouristNov 24

@GeofCox @pjf

> the motivation of Churchill etc was the prospect of Germany building a land empire that would challenge the economics of the British Empire

And there it is....

Fascism was never beaten. It was just driven into the closet to plot its return with entirely new actors.