03/10/2026
On 4 October 1936, hundreds of thousands people in London’s East End fought to stop Oswald Mosely’s British Union of Fascists and their message of hate and division. In a powerful display of solidarity between the local community of Jewish residents, Irish dockers, communists, socialists, and trade unionists, they all came out together. They erected barricades along Cable Street and the surrounding areas to stop the Blackshirts from marching through their streets and fought back when the police tried to clear the route for the fascists. The Battle of Cable Street was a victory against fascism, and serves as a reminder that we are stronger together, and that it’s always worth standing up to fascism.
In 2024, in response to a wave of protests and attacks against immigrants by the far-right, the knitters of East London came together with help from Knit with attitude, Barley Massey and Wild and Woolly to create this banner. We wanted to show how we continue to stand in solidarity with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers and against the islamophobia, anti-semitism, racism and xenophobia of the far-right. In 1936 they cried “They Shall Not Pass!” (“No pasarán”). Now we have knitted it into our banner in recognition and memory of the brave anti-fascists of 1936. Hatred and division has no place in our community. Everyone is welcome here and everyone belongs!
