The ‘Battle of Lewisham’ took place on 13 August 1977 when police, National Front supporters and anti-fascists clashed in London. The National Front had planned to march through the ethnically diverse boroughs of south-east London. Despite pleas from local people and politicians, the police and Home Office decided to let the march go ahead. Several SDS officer's reported on the demonstration but it was claimed that SDS intelligence was ignored. They later fed into a debrief on what went wrong in policing terms.
A coalition of political groups and local people opposed the march. The 500 National Front marchers were met by an estimated 4,000 opposing protesters. The police’s attempt to force the march through led to clashes with in Lewisham town centre.
The event was notable, being the first time police turned out in riot gear on the UK mainland. The clashes at Lewisham ended with hundreds arrested or injured.
There is also a substantial amount of documentation published by the Inquiry, which can be accessed via the documents tab.