Event    From 13/8/1977  To 13/8/1977

Battle of Lewisham

In the mid 1970s, New Cross and surrounding areas became the focus of racist activity by neo-Nazis and the National Front (NF). This culminated in an attempted march by 500 members of the NF. Various counter-demonstrations led to violent clashes. 5,000 police officers were involved and 56 were injured. 214 people were arrested, and later disturbances in Lewisham, saw the first use of police riot shields in Britain.

The 2019 film White Riot contains extensive footage of the events that day.

This event took place almost exactly 83 years after the similar anti-fascist protest at Cable Street.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Battle of Lewisham

Commemorated ati

Battle of Lewisham - mural

Gold has "The mural was created through a collaboration between local communi...

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Battle of Lewisham - Plaque

Remembering the Battle of Lewisham. Thousands united here against racism and ...

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Other Subjects

James Hoppey

James Hoppey

Chair, General Purposes Committee

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
N. Burton

N. Burton

District Staff Officer in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 District Metropolitan Corps, 1908-1954. Officer in the Order of St John.

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Councillor R. Fielder

Councillor R. Fielder

Member of the Electric Lighting and Tramways Committee, West Ham, 1905. Our image comes from Wikipedia's photo captioned 'First West Ham Borough Council, 1886-7'. This 'Councillor R. Fielder' is p...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
John Wylde

John Wylde

Renter Warden of the Innholders, 1920 - 21.

Person, Benefactor, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Thomas Godfrey Baynes

Thomas Godfrey Baynes

Clerk to Bexley Urban District Council. Thomas Godfrey Baynes was born on 15 August 1865 in Milton, Kent. He was the second of the six children of Thomas Clarke Baynes (1836-1903) and Elizabeth Su...

Person, Law, Politics & Administration

1 memorial

Previously viewed

B. Chart

B. Chart

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
The inhabitants of Charlton

The inhabitants of Charlton

Charlton is an area of South-East London which still retains the feel of a village. Daniel Defoe described it as: 'A village famous, or rather infamous for the yearly collected rabble of mad-people...

Group, Community / Clubs

2 memorials
Croydon Tram Derailment - Sandilands

Croydon Tram Derailment - Sandilands

CR0, Addiscombe Road

This memorial is close to the crash site. There is another in New Addington.

8 subjects commemorated
W. A. Austin
War dead, WW1
1 memorial