A BLUE plaque is to be mounted in Leeds to mark a confrontation in which 30,000 anti-fascists chased off 1,000 black-shirted fascists trying to rally in the city.

The Battle of Holbeck Moor in Leeds took place on September 27 1936, two weeks before the better-known Battle of Cable Street in London.

The blackshirts marched from the city to Holbeck which is south of Leeds city centre, led by Sir Oswald Mosley.

Mosley climbed onto the roof of a van to speak but was drowned out by thousands of workers singing The Red Flag. He was also hit on the head by a thrown stone.

The fascists were forced out of the city.

Leeds Stand Up to Racism (SUTR), local councillors, community organisations and trade union branches have been pressing for a blue plaque marking the event.

The plaque is expected to be mounted in December near the site of the confrontation.

Sam Kirk of Leeds SUTR said: “It’s long overdue.”