The neo-Nazi National Front’s march through the streets of East London on Saturday, the first day of Rosh Hashanah, was upstaged by a counter-demonstration organized by the Hackney Trades Council. The Council’s rally attracted more than 5000 persons while the NF march mustered only 1250. The two demonstrations never confronted each other. Ostensibly, the NF march was aimed against “Black muggers.”
Many participants in the Trades Council rally believed that the date chosen by the NF was a deliberate incitement against the Jews of the borough. But the Council rally organizer, Michael Knowles, said that his demonstration showed the political alternative to the NF. The Council march was the biggest demonstration in Hackney since the fascists marched in 1947.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
