England’s Guy Fawkes unlikely face of global protest
LONDON (Reuters) – A new generation of global activists have embraced the image of a 17th century English Catholic traitor whose arrest and gruesome execution is still celebrated across Britain every year by burning his effigy.
- Protesters wearing Guy Fawkes masks attend a rally outside the House of Representatives in suburban Quezon city, north of Manila on November 5, 2013. Some 100 masked members of the hacking group Anonymous Philippines marched on parliament on November 5, denouncing corruption and pledging more cyber attacks, a week after 30 government websites were paralyzed. (Jay Directo/AFP/Getty Images)
- A demonstrator wearing a Guy Fawkes mask waits for the start of a demonstration by supporters of the Anonymous movement as part of the global protest “Million Mask March” in Madrid November 5, 2013. Protesters demanding an end to social injustice and government and corporate greed tried to march towards the Spanish parliament, but police stopped them.The rally coincides with Guy Fawkes Day, which marks the unsuccessful attempt to blow up the British Parliament in 1605. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
- Demonstrators march towards the Spanish parliament during a demonstration by supporters of the Anonymous movement as part of the global protest “Million Mask March” in Madrid November 5, 2013. Protesters demanding an end to social injustice and government and corporate greed tried to march towards the Spanish parliament, but police stopped them.The rally coincides with Guy Fawkes Day, which marks the unsuccessful attempt to blow up the British Parliament in 1605. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
- A protester wearing a Guy Fawkes mask stands in front of a line of riot police officers during a protest against budget cuts and energy prices in Westminster, central London, November 5, 2013. (Andrew Winning/Reuters)
- Bonfire societies parade through the streets during the Bonfire Night celebrations on November 5, 2013 in Lewes, Sussex in England. Bonfire Night is related to the ancient festival of Samhain, the Celtic New Year. Processions held across the South of England culminate in Lewes on November 5, commemorating the memory of the seventeen Protestant martyrs. Thousands of people attend the parade as Bonfire Societies parade through the narrow streets until the evening comes to an end with the burning of an effigy, or ‘guy,’ usually representing Guy Fawkes, who died in 1605 after an unsuccessful attempt to blow up The Houses of Parliament. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)
- Crowds gather to watch as Bonfire societies parade through the streets during the Bonfire Night celebrations on November 5, 2013 in Lewes, Sussex in England. Bonfire Night is related to the ancient festival of Samhain, the Celtic New Year. Processions held across the South of England culminate in Lewes on November 5, commemorating the memory of the seventeen Protestant martyrs. Thousands of people attend the parade as Bonfire Societies parade through the narrow streets until the evening comes to an end with the burning of an effigy, or ‘guy,’ usually representing Guy Fawkes, who died in 1605 after an unsuccessful attempt to blow up The Houses of Parliament. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)
- A supporter of the Anonymous group wearing a Guy Fawkes mask holds up a placard featuring a photo of US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden and reads “A true American Hero!” during a rally in front of Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate on November 5, 2013. The “One million masks” protests organized by the Anonymous group are taking place on Guy Fawkes Day all over the world. (Florian Schuh/AFP/Getty Images)
- Bonfire societies parade through the streets during the Bonfire Night celebrations on November 5, 2013 in Lewes, Sussex in England. Bonfire Night is related to the ancient festival of Samhain, the Celtic New Year. Processions held across the South of England culminate in Lewes on November 5, commemorating the memory of the seventeen Protestant martyrs. Thousands of people attend the parade as Bonfire Societies parade through the narrow streets until the evening comes to an end with the burning of an effigy, or ‘guy,’ usually representing Guy Fawkes, who died in 1605 after an unsuccessful attempt to blow up The Houses of Parliament. Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)
- Demonstrators, including supporters of the group Anonymous, march in a protest against corrupt governments and corporations in front of the White House in Washington, DC, November 5, 2013, as part of a Million Mask March of similar rallies around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
- Demonstrators, including supporters of the group Anonymous, march in a protest against corrupt governments and corporations in front of the White House in Washington, DC, November 5, 2013, as part of a Million Mask March of similar rallies around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
- Demonstrators, including supporters of the group Anonymous, march in a protest against corrupt governments and corporations in front of the White House in Washington, DC, November 5, 2013, as part of a Million Mask March of similar rallies around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
- Demonstrators, including supporters of the group Anonymous, march in a protest against corrupt governments and corporations in front of the White House in Washington, DC, November 5, 2013, as part of a Million Mask March of similar rallies around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
- People march to the U.S. Captiol during the “Million Mask March” November 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Organized by members of Anonymous, WikiLeaks, The Pirate Party, Occupy Wall Street and other hacktivist movements, demonstrators marched on political landmarks and institutions around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
- Riot police block protesters wearing Guy Fawkes masks during a rally outside the House of Representatives in suburban Quezon city, north of Manila on November 5, 2013. Some 100 masked members of the hacking group Anonymous Philippines marched on parliament on November 5, denouncing corruption and pledging more cyber attacks, a week after 30 government websites were paralysed. (Jay Directo/AFP/Getty Images)
- Protesters wearing Guy Fawkes masks display placards during a rally outside the House of Representatives in suburban Quezon city, north of Manila on November 5, 2013. Some 100 masked members of the hacking group Anonymous Philippines marched on parliament on November 5, denouncing corruption and pledging more cyber attacks, a week after 30 government websites were paralyzed. (Jay Directo/AFP/Getty Images)
- People participate in a march to the U.S. Captiol during the “Million Mask March” November 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Organized by members of Anonymous, WikiLeaks, The Pirate Party, Occupy Wall Street and other hacktivist movements, demonstrators marched on political landmarks and institutions around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
- People participate in a march to the U.S. Captiol during the “Million Mask March” November 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Organized by members of Anonymous, WikiLeaks, The Pirate Party, Occupy Wall Street and other hacktivist movements, demonstrators marched on political landmarks and institutions around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
- People march to the U.S. Captiol during the “Million Mask March” November 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Organized by members of Anonymous, WikiLeaks, The Pirate Party, Occupy Wall Street and other hacktivist movements, demonstrators marched on political landmarks and institutions around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
- People participate in a march to the U.S. Captiol during the “Million Mask March” November 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Organized by members of Anonymous, WikiLeaks, The Pirate Party, Occupy Wall Street and other hacktivist movements, demonstrators marched on political landmarks and institutions around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
- People participate in a march to the U.S. Captiol during the “Million Mask March” November 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Organized by members of Anonymous, WikiLeaks, The Pirate Party, Occupy Wall Street and other hacktivist movements, demonstrators marched on political landmarks and institutions around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
- People participate in a march to the U.S. Captiol during the “Million Mask March” November 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Organized by members of Anonymous, WikiLeaks, The Pirate Party, Occupy Wall Street and other hacktivist movements, demonstrators marched on political landmarks and institutions around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
- People participate in a march to the U.S. Captiol during the “Million Mask March” November 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Organized by members of Anonymous, WikiLeaks, The Pirate Party, Occupy Wall Street and other hacktivist movements, demonstrators marched on political landmarks and institutions around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
- People participate in a march to the U.S. Captiol during the “Million Mask March” November 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Organized by members of Anonymous, WikiLeaks, The Pirate Party, Occupy Wall Street and other hacktivist movements, demonstrators marched on political landmarks and institutions around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
- People march to the U.S. Captiol during the “Million Mask March” November 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Organized by members of Anonymous, WikiLeaks, The Pirate Party, Occupy Wall Street and other hacktivist movements, demonstrators marched on political landmarks and institutions around the world on Guy Fawkes Day. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
White caricature masks of Guy Fawkes — who was hanged, drawn and quartered for attempting to blow up England’s parliament in 1605 — have been appearing online and on the streets of London, New York and Madrid among protesters against the financial crisis.
While many Fawkes masks sold in Britain this week may end up in their traditional places on dummy “Guys” cast onto bonfires and as part of fireworks displays at the hugely popular annual Nov 5 Guy Fawkes Night celebrations on greens and in parks throughout the UK, many more may be worn at demonstrations.
The masks were popularized by the 2006 film “V for Vendetta” — in which a masked hero of the future uses the Fawkes image as he attacks the British government. Now the stylized, gleaming white, grinning and bearded visage has become the face of the leaderless “Anonymous” movement.
They have become an increasingly popular sight at the anti-banking “Occupy Wall Street” protests that have spread across the United States and into other countries including Britain, as well as an increasingly common presence online.
“Traditionally, Guy Fawkes has simply been seen as the original terrorist or just a quaint figure we commemorate once a year,” said Cathy Ross, director of collections and learning at the Museum of London. “The idea of seeing him as a more relevant, radical figure is something new.”
For centuries, English school children have been taught to: Remember, remember the fifth of November…gunpowder treason and plot and Fawkes has always been the ghost which has haunted a nation that is only now changing discriminatory laws which bar potential heirs to the throne from marrying a Catholic.
Fawkes hoped his attack — foiled at the last minute after his stash of gunpowder was discovered under parliament — would usher in a popular Catholic revolt, but the aims of those wearing his mask these days appear less focused.
Initially, “Anonymous” appeared a purely online force, attacking those it believed were attempting to stymie free speech in the name of intellectual property or national security. Last year, it declared virtual war on websites such as that of global credit card firm MasterCard.
VIOLENT, LIBERTARIAN IMAGE
But with Spain’s “indignados” protests against austerity, the popularity of the masks leapt — to the extent that costume shops in Spain sold out almost overnight and activists were forced to order in from overseas.
Both the masks and the “Anonymous” group themselves have since also joined forces with the “occupy” movement, although it is far from clear that all who wear them sympathize with “Anonymous.”
“It’s a very powerful, violent symbol,” says Tim Hardy, founder of UK activist blog “Beyond Clicktivism.” “It’s very anti-parliamentarian, very anti-establishment, libertarian rather than leftist. Beyond that, it’s hard to say what it stands for. Many of those who wear it are very young.”
For now, the methods of those wearing his image have been much less violent than those unsuccessfully attempted by Fawkes. Had his attack on the State opening of Parliament on November 5, 1605 succeeded, he would have killed not just King James I but also almost the whole parliament, church leaders and wider ruling hierarchy.
Some worry that might change. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned last month that there was a risk hackers from “Anonymous” might target crucial industrial control systems of power plants and other key infrastructure, causing chaos. Some activists, however, were skeptical, accusing authorities or scaremongering and trying to demonize the group.
Still, there have been some reports which said that “Anonymous” was attempting to organize an attack on social networking site Facebook for November 5 itself, ironically organised in part via Facebook itself.