The video above shows what Dalston and Hackney looked liked in the late 70s and early 80s before gentrification came. I found the video from reddit user PalestraPilgrim who commented that:
As you can tell from the video, the area was really deprived but at the same time I think people were also a lot more united and organised in their communities. It was a place that celebrated diversity as something to defend and be proud of. This attracted a lot of the left-wing radicals that eventually settled and formed communities in Hackney as well, such as the crusties, anarchists, activists, socialists, squatters, etc.