Looking ahead to the Battle of Cable Street weekend

Things are moving on for the Battle of Cable Street anniversary, celebrating 75 years of the day in 1936 when the whole East End rose up to stop Mosley's fascists marching through the area. The weekend starts with a 75th anniversary gala evening commemorating the Spanish Civil War on October 1st, with a poetry reading by Jackie Kay and a performance of Call Me Robson. This is at the New Red Lion Theatre Pub. Tickets are already available from http://www.philosophyfootball.com/ (click on the events button).

On October 2nd the focus is entirely on the Battle of Cable Street, with events running from noon until 10pm at Wilton's Music Hall on Graces Alley in the East End. Here's a view of Wilton's http://www.sphericalimages.com/wiltonsmusichall/index.html There will be stalls during the day, with music by Lost Marbles and street theatre by La Columna. At 1.00pm the forty-strong Grand Union Youth Orchestra perform. At 3.00pm Five Leaves host a reception and book launch for our five Cable Street books - The Battle of Cable Street by the Cable Street Group; Everything Happens on Cable Street by Roger Mills; The Battle for the East End: Jewish responses to fascism in the 1930s by David Rosenberg; October Day by Frank Griffin; Street of Tall People by Alan Gibbons. At 4.00pm we host a panel discussion on the literature of the 1930s with Andy Croft, Mary Joannou and Ken Worpole.

The evening events start at 6.pm with a variety show They Shall Not Pass with poets, singers, choirs and comics including Michael Rosen, Leon Rosselson and Sandra Kerr. And there is more to come - on Tuesday 4 October the film From Cable Street to Brick Lane will be previewed and on Wednesday 6 October there will be a Five Leaves event at Housmans Bookshop, with Dave Rosenberg, Roger Mills and others. Dave is also leading a Cable Street walk during the period.

Alternative Arts is co-ordinating all the activities and there will be a commemorative programme. More details soon.