“Remember, remember the fifth of November.” That’s the chant shared during Guy Fawkes Day, a British holiday which has become a time to commemorate the power of the people. One group took to the streets of Columbus to spread that idea. Ohio Public Radio's Andy Chow reports.
The group Ohio Anonymous rallied at the Statehouse to spread one simple message to people around the state; everyone must put aside their differences, unite, and get things done.
Person 1: “Nothing gets done without unity. It doesn’t matter who you are, what religion you are, what your beliefs are what your personal beliefs are. If you look around this collective right now—this group that’s standing here—you will see people of all races—of all religions—of all beliefs.”
About 30 members of the group put on their masks and walked around downtown Columbus to commemorate November 5. In Britain, November 5 is known as Guy Fawkes Day which observes a night in 1605 when a group of activists nearly assassinated the king. The plan was known as the Gunpowder Plot.
The story was made famous by the graphic novel and major motion picture, “V for Vendetta.”
V: “Tell me do you know what day it is Evey?”
Evey: “Um, November the fourth.”
V: “Not anymore. Remember, remember the fifth of November the gunpowder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.”
The movie’s protagonist calls on the people of a totalitarian England to rise up and demand change, a sentiment Ohio Anonymous carried out during their march.
Person 2: “We just don’t want to have people suffering around the world and that we could find a better way to do it and just maintaining the world and the economy the way it is—is maybe not the way to do that—we should rethink the whole way that we run the world and why not? Why not for the betterment of everyone—try something different?”
None of the members provided their names, an effort to continue the appearance that they all speak with one voice.
While the group’s main call was for unity, individual members shared their visions on different causes, including their opposition to what they believe to be corporate greed, overly aggressive laws, or unfair treatment in the courts.
Ohio Anonymous is just the state’s chapter to a larger, global group that’s been criticized for pro-anarchy rhetoric and cyberattacks on various governments and corporations around the world. They’ve also been known to support Wikileaks and the Occupy Movement.
Anonymous gained a lot of attention a year ago during the Steubenville rape investigation. One of its members allegedly hacked into personal accounts and re-posted pictures of the assault, putting a national spotlight on the case. This serves as an example, the group says, that their cause is something to be pushed for every day.
Person 3: “This isn’t just something that happens on November 5th this isn’t just pop culture. This idea—this concept of however you want to define it—is something that echoes throughout history.”
They say the fact that Guy Fawkes Day fell on Election Day was just another good reason to get their message out, and to plead with voters to do their research before they cast their ballot.
While they all represented one unit, they had different ways of vocalizing their beliefs, including one member who voiced his opinion through rap.
Person 4: “I mask up and stand up you mad huh. We family stand as one that’s mad love. The atlas you can’t shrug that’s bad blood. Now we worldwide now we bout to tear your plans up. I think the Rockefellers need to man up.”
Andy Chow at the Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau.
Person 4 (cont’d): “Your species is on the brink of extinction this is the grand cusp. Your agenda just caught a case of bad luck. There’s people you can’t see and ideas you can’t touch. The veins of black mud pump through the greed. Seven trillion to yourself and help no one in need. We the people said no you said ‘yes indeed.’ How can these be, one percent dominating the globe. They divided our size they no different at all. And I think it’s bout time that we lifted this wall and closed down every bank cause they rippin us off. (applause)”
