▁members ▁of ▁the ▁far - right ▁National ▁Front ▁( NF ) ▁attempted ▁to ▁march ▁from ▁New ▁Cross ▁to ▁Lew ish am ▁in ▁sout heast ▁London ▁and ▁various ▁counter - dem on str ations ▁by ▁approximately ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁led ▁to ▁violent ▁cl ash es ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁groups ▁and ▁between ▁the ▁anti - NF ▁demonstr ators ▁and ▁police . ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁police ▁officers ▁were ▁present ▁and ▁ 5 6 ▁officers ▁were ▁injured , ▁ 1 1 ▁of ▁whom ▁were ▁hospital ised . ▁ 2 1 4 ▁people ▁were ▁arrested . ▁Later ▁dist urban ces ▁in ▁Lew ish am ▁town ▁centre ▁saw ▁the ▁first ▁use ▁of ▁police ▁ri ot ▁shield s ▁on ▁the ▁UK ▁main land . ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 7 0 s , ▁New ▁Cross ▁and ▁surrounding ▁areas ▁of ▁South ▁London ▁became ▁the ▁focus ▁of ▁inten se ▁and ▁sometimes ▁violent ▁political ▁activity ▁by ▁ne o - N az is ▁and ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Front , ▁led ▁by ▁John ▁Ty nd all , ▁and ▁a ▁break away ▁fa ction : ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁led ▁by ▁John ▁Kings ley ▁Read . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁the ▁two ▁organis ations ▁between ▁them ▁pol led ▁more ▁votes ▁in ▁a ▁local ▁w ard ▁election ▁to ▁Lew ish am ▁London ▁Bor ough ▁Council ▁than ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁this , ▁the ▁All ▁Lew ish am ▁Camp aign ▁Again st ▁R ac ism ▁and ▁F asc ism ▁( AL C AR