East of the City
VHS Colour Sound 1986 39:30
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Summary: Archive footage and interviews on events from the 1930s to the 1980s.
Title number: 2951
LSA ID: LSA/3878
Description: The story of the anti-fascist action in the East End in the 1930s is told through archive film and photography, old newspaper stories, poetry, song and interviews. Interviews with Charlie Findley and Charlie Goodman two of the participants in the anti-fascist rally explore their personal feelings about the events and the influence of the 'No Pasaran!' movement in Spain on people refusing to let Moseley's fascists pass. Pat Devine, an anti-fascist organiser in the East speaks about the plan by the British Union of Fascists plan to march through East End on October 4th 1936. The contemporary importance of resistance to fascism and racism is explored with reference to the 1984 murder of Eustace Pryce and the march against his racist killing. An interview with Muktar Miah discusses racist violence, the uselessness of the police, and the importance of self-defence. Charlie Goodman speaks about how Jews had to organise to resist the fascists, the history of immigration to the East End and the politics of immigrant peoples. He also discusses the Stepney Tenants Defence League's work to get better housing and beat exploitative landlords. Mr S. Miah and Mr. A. Miah, Mr Y. Ali, Mr. A, Hannan, Mr Shamulshoque, all of Spitalfields Housing Co-op speak about how they solved the problems of Bengali people who could not obtain housing. An interview with dockers union leader Jack Dash discusses the housing shortages faced by young people and the historical precedent for the current situation, the National unemployed workers union, his participation in the 1967 London Dockers Strike (against containerisation in shipping) and how the change in the docks meant thousands of Tower Hamlets jobs were lost. The film concludes with discussion of Michael Heseltine's plan to revitalise the docklands, asking whether the regeneration is to meet the needs of profit or the people. There is criticism of the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) and its powers over the area. Local residents Julie Donovan and Beryl Donovan are interviewed about resistance to the LDDC's plans to gentrify the area, their lack of consultancy with the local community, about LDDC lies, and how compulsory purchase orders let to land being sold off 'on the cheap' . They also discuss their preparedness for direct action in the face of the unaccountable quango of the LDDC. Con Donovan is interviewed and discusses the lack of jobs for locals in the new development and how the LDDC has closed places employing people while bringing in workers from elsewhere. The potential for protest using the media and producing adverse publicity is discussed, with resident Joanne Martin speaking about how the LDDC don't want bad publicity, the at reveals how they put profit before people. The film ends with footage of the 'People's Armada to Parliament' a protest on boats sailing up the Thames to the Houses of Parliament.
Credits: Director: Maria Roberts; Director: Howard Porter; 'Its our Land' sung by: Julie and Stephanie of Tough Cookies; 'October 1936' read by: Vicky Findlay; 'Docklands' written by: Bernie Steer; 'Roka bye Baby' sung by: Susan Stein; Research Assisted by: The Community Alliance for Director: Maria Roberts; Director: Howard Porter; 'Its our Land' sung by: Julie and Stephanie of Tough Cookies; 'October 1936' read by : Vicky Findlay; 'Docklands' written by: Bernie Steer; 'Roka bye Baby' sung by: Susan Stein; Research Assisted by: The Community Alliance for Police Accountability; Research Assisted by: Tower Hamlets Central Library Local History Section; Research Assisted by: Joint Docklands Action Group; Archive material courtesy of: Stanley Forman at ETV; Archive material courtesy of: Museum of Labour History; Archive material courtesy of: Tower Hamlets Central Library Police Accountability, Tower Hamlets Central Library Local History Section, Joint Docklands Action Group; Archive material courtesy of: Stanley Forman at ETV, Museum of Labour History, Tower Hamlets Central Library
Further information: The end titles give special thanks to: Charlie Findlay; Vicky Findlay; Charlie Goodman; Members of the Spitalfields Housing Co-op Management Committee.
Keywords: Docks; Ethnic conflicts; Jews; Racially motivated crime
Locations: United Kingdom; England; London; Tower Hamlets; Stepney
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