By Sam Skopp
The 2006 film “V For Vendetta” brought Guy Fawkes Day, which celebrates a failed attempt by a revolutionary to blow up British Parliament, to the attention of many Americans who were then unfamiliar with the holiday. The mask of the titular character likewise became a makeshift revolutionary symbol, used by the decentralized hacker and activist group Anonymous.
On Saturday, November 5 – Guy Fawkes Day – protesters donning Anonymous masks set up a rally at the entrance to the Santa Monica Pier, at the intersection of Ocean Ave and Colorado Ave.
One anonymous protester, who was visiting from Sacramento, explained that she was rallying in opposition to Child Protective Services, who she felt had unjustifiably taken her child from her. Her anonymous companion had just finished a jail sentence, and was present at the rally to speak in favor of prison reform.
“They need to understand what we’re about,” said one masked protester. “It’s about helping people.”
They explained as an example of their past work as a protest group attending a neo-nazi rally in order to oppose the racially-charged violence that was taking place. At one point, they claimed to be the first responders to a young man who was stabbed by the nazi group.
“If the police aren’t protecting the people, they aren’t doing their jobs,” another masked protester said.
The alternative Internet culture from which the Anonymous movement was birthed made its way into the event as well. A picture of a line-drawn face commonly used by Internet trolls, with the caption “U Mad?” was placed next to photos of children partly in whose support the protest was being held.
Meanwhile, on the same corner, local dancers were rallying a circle of tourists to the Outkast song “Bombs Over Baghdad,” while a couple blocks down, locals were rallying on both sides of the LV Initiative, which will be on ballots in Santa Monica on Tuesday.