back to article Million Mask March: Anonymous' London Guy Fawkes protest a damp squib

Anonymous' #MillionMaskMarch hit London amid a flurry of fireworks on the symbolic date of 5 November, Guy Fawkes night. Despite the symbolism, it was pretty lame. Your correspondent, fresh from a hard day staring at screens and drinking tea, wandered along to Trafalgar Square to see what the fuss was all about. There was a …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Dear Reg....

    ..please loan him a decent camera next time, or at least a Nokia Lumière.

    1. Goldmember

      Re: Dear Reg....

      What, loan him the talking candlestick from Beauty and the Beast?

  2. Matthew Smith

    'Shes clicking here hooves'?!

    Eh? Was David Icke there?

  3. DropBear
    Joke

    Anonymous' London Guy Fawkes protest a damp squib

    That's only how it appears! True Anonymous supporters all used a VPN and therefore were present by proxy - of course you couldn't see them...

  4. Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face

    We came, we saw, we wandered around for a bit in the cold...

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Morons

    "FIGHT THE SYSTEM!"

    "EAT THE RICH!"

    "Hey, how will we do that? How do we show we are united as one?"

    "Err...let's buy a mask who's image is owned by the people we supposedly hate and was probably made in an environmentally unsound and employment-rights unfriendly factory."

    "Great idea!"

    "DOWN WITH THIS SORT OF THING!"

    1. rhydian

      Re: Morons

      "CAREFUL NOW!"

      1. Mtech25
        Devil

        Re: Morons

        WRealise WRodrick!

        oops wrong protest

        1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
          Facepalm

          Re: Morons

          Also put up the flag the Other Great Socialism of the 20th century.

          A message with lots of the success.

          1. The BigYin

            Re: Morons

            "Other Great Socialism"? You mean the USA? The banking bail out was probably the greatest socialist action for many decades.

            A capitalist society would have let them fail.

            1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

              Re: Morons

              No, there was Brown Socialism and Red Socialism.

              Two faces, same old shit.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Most of the crowd seemed to be the usual rent-a-mob of left-wing sympathisers"

    Dear me, sneering standards really seem to have gone downhill at El Reg. You don't run the Country Landowners Associations PR on the side do you?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Same thoughts here. It's a shame to see such an esteemed organ as El Reg using rent-a-pillock scribes these days.

      Not only sneering but Gareth Corfield doesn't realise that half those protesters were probably plain-clothes plod looking to inseminate a few ladies.

    2. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

      Would you have expected the usual rent-a-mob of right-wing sympathisers at an event like this??

      1. Peter Simpson 1
        Childcatcher

        Right wing sympathisers don't demonstrate in the streets. That's for the proles.

        Right wing sympathisers pay for the problem to "go away".

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Would you have expected the usual rent-a-mob of right-wing sympathisers at an event like this??

        Right-wingers have jobs. They don't want to protest at the end of a long day, they're tiiired. :)

        Seriously, they have those left-wing rent-a-mobbers in Boston and San Francisco. They get an email telling them where to go and a $10 gift certificate for showing up. Sometimes it's just a coupon for a free StarBucks. They will tell you, just go up to them and ask, it's easy to join.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I would have added 'soap-dodging' somewhere in there

  7. Ketlan
    Thumb Down

    Hackery

    'Most of the crowd seemed to be the usual rent-a-mob of left-wing sympathisers.'

    So, no bias there then.

    1. Steven Jones

      Re: Hackery

      You're expecting neutral, dispassionate fact reporting from the Register? It's not the BBC news you know, who at least have to pay lip service to the idea.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hackery

        Still probably less biased than the BBC.

        1. Phil_Evans

          Re: Hackery

          More to the point - was the comment accurate? Who would choose to associate a serious cause like Palestinian freedom with this ADHT-ridden posse?

          1. Mage Silver badge

            Re: Hackery

            Palestinians & Arabs ...

            These would be the people that rejected every freedom deal since 1948 and call a guy that drove a car into 9 innocent people, killing one, a hero?

            If the Palestinians were serious about freedom rather than killing anyone they don't like and especially Jews, then it would be serious cause. Europeans have supported the Palestinians financially far more than the rich Arab states and what to they get out of it?

            1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
              Big Brother

              Re: Hackery

              If the Palestinians were serious about freedom rather than killing anyone they don't like and especially Jews

              For now, its brownshirtish Israelis doing the killing, so spare me.

              Europeans have supported the Palestinians financially far more than the rich Arab states and what to they get out of it?

              The US supports Israel with >3 billion per year and what do they get out of it? A few wars, kickbacks and otherwise the finger and accusation of un-americanism. Chutzpah, we hardly knew you!

        2. Thomas Whipp

          Re: Hackery

          There was some good research a few years ago which found that "balanced" reporting was more likely to leave people without an opinion while more partisan reporting led to readers considering the issue more deeply and either actively agreeing or disagreeing with the piece.

      2. dogged

        Re: Hackery

        At least the Reg bothered to turn up which is more than the Beeb usually do for any kind of protest, unless they've been tipped off that somebody's planning to chin a copper.

    2. gazthejourno

      Re: Hackery

      You ever been to one of these central London protests? It's the same old procession of Socialist Worker placards, Palestine flags and weed-smoking trustafarians at all of them. Often the organisers are outnumbered by the rentamob eejits who love an excuse for a day out to "stick it to the man". The only ones which come to mind as being different are the static protests opposite Downing Street - but then those don't feature an option to cause traffic disruption, get on the news and spread litter around.

      Bleat about bias all you like - I'll write it as I see it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hackery

        does anyone who actually carries a Socialist Wanker placard actually work?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: does anyone who actually carries a Socialist Wanker placard actually work?

          No, they're all on Blacklists held and maintained on Paper Card Indices to avoid the relevant legislation.

      2. Tim Jenkins

        " Socialist Worker placards, Palestine flags and weed-smoking trustafarians"

        You left out the inevitable group of short-haired chaps in black hoodies and shiny boots who, shortly before starting the ritual kicking-in of the window of the Mc Ds opposite Horse Guards, are usually to be found clustered around an older guy with the unusual nickname of 'Sergeant '...

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hackery

        "... I'll write it as I see it."

        Which would appear, unfortunately, to be from the perspective of an especially petulant and outraged Daily Mail commentard with a fondness for hackneyed cliche and a bee in their bonnet about littering.

        There's a fine border between sharp humour and prim nastiness, and the wrong side of it just looks cheap and bleaty.

    3. Turtle

      @Ketlan

      "'Most of the crowd seemed to be the usual rent-a-mob of left-wing sympathisers.' So, no bias there then."

      It's not "bias" if it's true. Unless of course you subscribe to Socialist Realism, in which case it's only true if it's politically and propagandistically advantageous.

      1. JDX Gold badge

        Re: @Ketlan

        It's also not bias if it's reported as opinion, which it was.

        They didn't seem that bothered about keeping their masks on either

  8. graeme leggett Silver badge

    Anson ? Beatty surely

    "There seems to be something wrong with our bloody shipsprotestors to-day,"

    1. Ossi
      Happy

      Re: Anson ? Beatty surely

      Well done. I love a good historical joke. Have an upvote.

  9. Tim Jenkins

    "bored youth knocking over bins and squaring up to the Old Bill"

    And receiving a very restrained (and possibly quite sensible) response, judging from those pics and the Buzzfeed movies and comparing with similar events in my own misspent youth. No armoured robocops visible (just a few helmeted serials in hi-vis), no drawn batons, no blinders (sorry 'torches'), no face-flattening round shields, no kettling for an hour or five. Maybe the Met is over-budget for clubbing hysterical Italian LSE 'anarchists' by this point in the year....

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "bored youth knocking over bins and squaring up to the Old Bill"

      Oh so true!

      Does anyone remember the Special Patrol Group?

      They turned up (uninvited) to my 18th birthday party.

      Fucking hell, we got our heads kicked in!

      1. mark 63 Silver badge

        SPG

        That was real? I thought it was made up for Vivians Hampster.

        I thought it must have been a slight alteration of some real outfit.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: SPG

          I used to know a copper (job not social) who was ex SPG, seriously I kid you not, named PC Savage. How he kept a straight face I'll never know.

        2. a cynic writes...

          Re: SPG

          I was indeed real.

          My first year of uni I shared a flat with an ex-member of Strathclyde police who'd been in the SPG. He was doing a psychology degree and after a few jars would claim it was so he could find out why he didn't like hitting people.

          Given that Constable Savage was written by a police forensic scientist need I say more.

        3. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: SPG

          Me of the birthday party.

          Yes, alas they were real.

          Used to be complaints that neither the officers or their vehicles were identifiable.

          An in-house (police) joke was that their police carriers (vans) had large, unique identifiers - on the undercarriage!

    2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: "bored youth knocking over bins and squaring up to the Old Bill"

      That police notice they put out beforehand (quoted in the article), was well-written, in human language and made sense. What's wrong with the wrold!

    3. Tom 7

      Re: "bored youth knocking over bins and squaring up to the Old Bill"

      I like the bit in the Poll Tax riots where a van arrived behind a police cordon, a load of plain clothed people got out, were waved through the cordon and almost immediately started throwing things over the police line. Seems they dont like a peaceful march the Met.

  10. Mtech25
    Joke

    You tell me it was a damp squid

    No looting at all and here i was hopping to have my Christmas shopping done

    DISCLAIMER i meant this comment as a JOKE and do not take responsibility if this does encourage you to perform looting for your Christmas shopping and would not condone any such acts.

    1. mark 63 Silver badge
      Joke

      Re: You tell me it was a damp squid

      Thats a great Idea mtech I am going to do that , you can disclaim all you want , but unless you've paid a parasitical blood sucking drain-on-society lawyer to rubber stamp it it dont mean shit. So i blame you for my actions.

      DISCLAIMER this too is a joke. I hereby declareclaim i can discliam my own claims without professional help , contrary to all of the above.

    2. Kubla Cant
      Headmaster

      Re: You tell me it was a damp squid

      "damp squid" is such a famous snowclone that it's been used as a book title.

      Read the title of the article.

  11. J. R. Hartley

    Does this journalist write for The Sun?

    Cos that article was fucking shit.

    1. Simon Watson

      Re: Does this journalist write for The Sun?

      It's a lot more interesting than your comment, which is purely an opinion piece.

      1. JDX Gold badge

        Re: Does this journalist write for The Sun?

        Clearly if you disagree with what was written, it's wrong/rubbish.

  12. Amorous Cowherder

    Ha ha, "Hunt the rich!", now remind me how did Westwood make her £90m fortune? Oh yes, flogging overpriced tat to very rich people obsessed by fashion!

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I was there

    or a least trying to get through it to the Randall Munroe talk (brilliant by the way!) and then back through it to get to a good pub. A few bins kicked over, a lot of mess made ... no-one I talked to seemed to know what it was about (including the cabbie who put it down to "just another of those down-with-everything protests"). It wasn't even a damp squib: to the outside world or those not in the know it just looked like a bunch of kids having a barely-orchestrated tantrum.

    AC so I could get the mask!

  14. G Watty What?
    Go

    Tourist Information - the real enemy

    "Someone half-heartedly threw a coffee cup at two tourist information officers."

    Finally someone standing up to these oppressive clowns; telling us where to go and what to see in places we're not familiar with! HOW DARE THEY!!!!!

    Once I went into a Tourist Information Centre. Information Centre! Propaganda Centre more like. All they kept telling me was what I should do and how good the place was. Using their directions I got back on the Trans Pennine Trail but that's besides the point!!!

    Thank you Anonymous for recognising and ending this tyranny.

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
      Devil

      Re: Tourist Information - the real enemy

      There used to be a Tourist Information Centre in High Wycombe. And the signs in the windows didn't just say, "Flee!".

      Bastards!

      1. Mtech25

        Re: Tourist Information - the real enemy

        three words

        Croydon Visitors centre.

  15. Lamont Cranston

    Shame.

    It's about time we put a Catholic back on the throne, too.

  16. Nial

    "Take No Shit, Take No Orders".

    Is this not an order?

    It's the peelers trying to f**k with the soap dodgers heads isn't it?

  17. Rikkeh

    America has taken over the Met

    The notice pictured in the report uses "License" as a noun rather than "Licence".

    The Yanks have taken over. Wake up Sheeple!

  18. localzuk Silver badge

    Great journalism...

    Let's blindly call them a left-wing rent-a-mob, without any actual evidence. Let's not interview any of them. Yeah, just reaffirm your own beliefs, not bother with actual reporting.

    What did you expect? Riots and burning buildings? If there had been, you'd no doubt be attacking them for it as well, so they can't actually change your view.

    Basically, your article should have been on the Daily Mail site. I'd expect more from this site to be honest.

    1. JDX Gold badge

      Re: Great journalism...

      He has more evidence than you, since he was an eye-witness. Clearly he was a blind eye-witness, or maybe you just have your own viewpoint you're blindly following?

      1. localzuk Silver badge

        Re: Great journalism...

        Or do I actually know a number of the people who were there (who, amazingly, all have at least 1 job, some more, have families and who are worries about what the government is doing to the country), and therefore have actual evidence, not just an impression based on prejudices and hyperbole.

        So, yeah, make assumptions. Really helps.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    hilarious

    I love reading UK tabloids. You guys are way funny! Please send a reporter to our rent a mob protests in Ferguson Mo.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Anonymous is a truth movement advocating hacktivism as self-defense for unconstitutional government. It is our aim to shed light on corrupt government in order to set people free from oppression."

    Yes just plain ridiculous innit.

    What a gross display. This article and the comments I mean. Do you people wonder where apathy comes from? If only we could find a way to harness the power of all your senses of self superiority. If you think you are a member of some sort of a class above, well the joke's on you because in reality you're more like a Facebook user who thinks they are the customer.

    Nothing but ridicule, until it comes to the idea that someone might be snooping on what filthy sort of porn you are into, then all of a sudden you wonder where the outrage is. It was all crushed by articles like this and people like you piling on to give the impression that anyone protesting anything, from climate change to animal cruelty to rampant capitalism to police brutality and on and on and on, are every one of them down to the last man woman and child just mindless morons wasting time, or even better yet only showing up to get paid.

    Your governments and the corporations they work for just fucking love you all, and they hope and pray that you are instilling the same attitudes in all of your offspring.

    Peace.

    1. Mark Exclamation

      Do you feel better now?

      Peace.

  21. Jonathan

    14-15 year olds

    were they not allowed out of their middle-class bedrooms to go and protest?

  22. Buster

    What is the point of protest.....

    While this was an unfocused damp squid as Anonymous events tend to be and dulled the keen mind of the reporter to the point where their brain almost shut down leaving only the sub Daily Fail part of the brain working, without some people fighting for our current freedoms we would not have them. So just slagging off people as the usual suspects only betrays the writers frustration at being helpless and impotent in so many ways. You where there, you looked at stuff, you applied your prejudices, you failed to ask why or show any insight, then you wrote about yourself. Sad really.

  23. This post has been deleted by its author

  24. silver darling

    There could have been an opportunity here for some analysis of tech influenced politics but instead it's 'look at the fanbois queuing at the shop' stereotypical sneering. The bigot journo directing tedious apple v microsoft v linux rabble rousing at another target.

    Perhaps it's too much to expect that the reg's rent-a-machinehead writers and tea swilling keyboard tapping readers could comprehend a world outside of little labeled containers.

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Adolf Rules?

    Reading this article I thought I had been transported back to Nazi Germany. Talk about crappy, one-sided propaganda. If it wasn't for protesters, our country would be a sadder, even less free place than it is.

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