{"id":10100,"date":"2016-10-04T17:21:02","date_gmt":"2016-10-04T16:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=10100"},"modified":"2016-10-05T16:00:09","modified_gmt":"2016-10-05T15:00:09","slug":"under-the-banner-of-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=10100","title":{"rendered":"\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Under the banner of community\u00e2\u20ac\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

As night falls over Whitechapel the young men in black shirts spill into the narrow streets looking for a fight. Members of Oswald Mosley\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s British Union of Fascists, they prowl around, seeking out businesses to wreck, scrawling racist graffiti on walls, firebombing and terrorising innocent residents for no other reason than they are Jewish.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 1936 and this has been happening for years. Then the Blackshirts disperse, running scared, calling out to leave immediately \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve seen a group of young\u00c2\u00a0men, known to them. These are the lowest of the low \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they are Jews, and they are also Communists \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and they aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t afraid to fight back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Among that group are my grandfather Sydney and his brother Charlie. It is said they take no prisoners. Charlie \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a well- known local boxing champion is especially feared.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The streets of London\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Whitechapel have a unique history. For centuries it was the home to immigrants, who faced poverty and deprivation in inadequate overcrowded housing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So when news got out that on October 4, fascist leader Oswald Mosley planned to march his hated uniformed army of thugs through Whitechapel, there was no way local residents, trade unionists and socialists were going to let that just happen.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But a petition of over 100,000 signatures calling for the march to be banned was summarily ignored.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The day came \u00e2\u20ac\u201c with 7,000 uniformed fascists tried to force their way through the crowded streets, home to over 60,000 Jews. Ten thousand police \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 4,000 on horseback were to be their protectors on this shameful march of hate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0098No pasaran\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

But the men, women and children of Whitechapel stood their ground. They were Jews, they were Irish, they were dockworkers, sweatshop tailors, Communists, socialists, trade unionists, neighbours \u00e2\u20ac\u201c standing firm together, shouting \u00e2\u20ac\u0098No pasaran\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they shall not pass.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Modern estimates now reckon 300,000 people took part in the protest. When the Blackshirts and mounted police broke through the barricades of mattresses and paving stones, women threw rotten vegetables and men armed themselves with the broken legs of chairs and tables.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And the cheers went on long into the night when the day\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s heroes learnt that Mosley and his brutes had turned tail and fled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Over 30 years later Sydney often told me about what happened that day. I always loved hearing when the Irish dockworkers and Jewish sweat shop workers put aside their differences and united to fight for their families, for their neighbours, for the entire community. For me, there can be no better story of what can be achieved together.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But now hatred and prejudice are again rearing their ugly heads. After the Brexit result stories abound on a daily basis of attacks on immigrants, East Europeans, British Asians, Muslims \u00e2\u20ac\u201c just anyone racists feel like attacking that day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why \u00e2\u20ac\u201c as far as Unite is concerned \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time to remind people that we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to accept hate and what solidarity can achieve.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite Community Tower Hamlets branch is based at the Cable Street centre \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a hub of activity for the local largely Bangladeshi community. Members have campaigned on benefit sanctions, housing, and run the popular English as a foreign language courses.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bHere at the Cable Street centre we are breaking down the barriers between communities and bringing them together in a common cause,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 comments Monawar Badrudduza, the Unite Tower Hamlets branch co-ordinator.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe have people here from the Bangladeshi, Somalian, African, Kosovan, and Eastern European communities \u00e2\u20ac\u201c we even have a member from France \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve found that running English language courses is great in bringing people together and helping them get involved locally. People have said it makes them feel like they belong. They say in Unite they feel part of a family, they are included.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The branch has campaigned locally against benefits sanctions, fighting to save doctors\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 surgeries and stood alongside Unite industrial members against zero hours\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 contracts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0098You have to fight for justice\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Working at the Cable Street centre Badrudduza is reminded daily of what happened there 80 years ago. He draws endless inspiration from it. He says, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bStanding up for your rights, making alliances with others fighting for their rights. Equality doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t come easily, you have to fight for justice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bLooking back to that day the Jewish residents were targeted because of their religion and beliefs. It shows us that we are all human and that together we can fight for change.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On Sunday (October 9)<\/a> around 5,000 people are expected to join in the commemorative events being organised. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bUnite members are coming to join us from all over the country \u00e2\u20ac\u201c all are welcome.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Unite Community Tower Hamlets branch has grown steadily \u00e2\u20ac\u201c now just under three years since its creation there are over 300 members.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe aim to work hard for all in our community \u00e2\u20ac\u201c to bring about the changes we need for fairness. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s about the fact that we are all friends \u00e2\u20ac\u201c no-one is an enemy. And I believe if you really want to achieve this then being part of Unite \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the biggest trade union in the country \u00e2\u20ac\u201c is the way to bring about real change.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dave Condiliffe, Unite Community Co-ordinator, London and Eastern region agrees. He says, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bTo me Cable Street encapsulates the fight every generation before and since has had to face. Your struggle is our struggle and we can learn so much from the 1936 heroes of Cable Street.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut that is not enough \u00e2\u20ac\u201c we have to look to the future which is what we are doing today through Unite Community. There is more that unites us than divides us \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and we forget that at our risk.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite national Community co-ordinator Liane Groves said she was proud Unite was one of the organisations involved with Sunday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s commemoration.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe battle of Cable Street is part of our history, one of which I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m immensely proud. When people stand together for good they can expel evil. Solidarity above all is the lesson Cable Street can teach us.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bUnder a banner of community we can defeat divisive factions that separate us. Eighty years on the battle resonates with what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s happening today with the way immigrants are being blamed for all society\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ills,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 believes Groves.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bNow again we must stand together. The far right is raising its ugly head and only through solidarity can we defeat the evils of prejudice.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A call with which Sydney, Charlie and all the heroes of Cable Street would heartily agree.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Join in this Sunday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s commemoration<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0with Unite<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"cable-street-80\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As night falls over Whitechapel the young men in black shirts spill into the narrow streets looking for a fight. Members of Oswald Mosley\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s British Union of Fascists, they prowl around, seeking out businesses to wreck, scrawling racist graffiti on walls, firebombing and terrorising innocent residents for no other reason than they are Jewish.   […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10102,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[352,379],"wps_subtitle":"Cable Street shows us only solidarity conquers hate ","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10100"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10100"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10100\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10111,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10100\/revisions\/10111"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}