"Told through the words of 16 year-old Stockton-born Johnny Longstaff who was one of an estimated 100,000 people who defied the police to stand in solidarity with the Jewish people of London’s East End, blocking the route of a British Union of Fascists march on October 4, 1936."
On the fourth of October, 1936, I was only a lad of 16 But I stood beside men who were threescore and ten and every age in between We were dockers, and teachers, busmen, engineers, and boys with no jobs to do We were women and children, equal in union, Atheists, Christians, and Jews And we had so much to lose.
For with Hitler in Germany, Franco in Spain, we knew what fascism meant So when Mosley came tramps in, denouncing the Jews, to the east end of London we went For I’d heard much refugees who’d fled over the seas, Germans, Italians, and Jews And I knew their despair for what they’d seen there, and I couldn’t let them be abused We had so much to lose.
Now, 3,000 fascists, their uniforms black, had set out to march on that day And 6,000 policemen intended to greet them, by making clear the way But we were there ready, and nerves they were steady, 100,000 en masse, And we planted our feet along Cable Street, and we sang, ‘they shall not pass!’ We sang, ‘they shall not pass!’
Then all us young lads, we were sent to the side streets, to stop the police breaking through And with swift hands we made strong barricades out of anything we could use And they came to charge us, but they couldn’t budge us, with fists, batons, and hooves With as good as we got, we withstood the lot, for we would not be moved, We would not be moved.
And yes, there was violence, and yes, there was blood, and I saw things a lad shouldn’t see But I’ll not regret the day I stood, and London stood with me And when the news spread the day had been won, and Mosley was limping away There were shouts, there were cheers, there was songs, there was tears, and aye, they’re borne to this day And we all swore then, we’d stand up again, for as long as our legs could, And that when we were gone, our daughters and sons would stand where we stood
Was the first time I’d heard two tiny words said by every woman and man Now I’ll say them still, and I always will: No pasarán! ===================== Song composed and sung by The Young'uns as one of a series of songs about Johnny Longstaff, who went on to volunteer in the Spanish Civil War. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG-w_ZCwOio