Image Credit: Jordan Mansfield / Getty Images
The “Million Mask March” is set to take place in London once again this year, with the protest having now become an annual event in which individuals donning Guy Fawkes masks, a symbol aslo adopted by the online group Anonymous, take to the streets in order to have their voices heard.
Anonymous has enlisted groups in over 651 cities worldwide to take part in the protest, with London being one of their most high-profile destinations alongside the likes of Los Angeles and Sydney. This year the march is being held in order to protest various topics, ranging from government corruption and tax credit cuts to censorship, war and everything in between. It was a bit of a disjointed mess last year, in truth, but it attracts a lot of people willing to shout their cause from the rafters, which is rarely a bad thing.
Check out Anonymous’ documentary on their London protest last year below:
It is estimated that around 18,000 people will take to London’s streets in order to stage the protest, with them having congregated in Downing Street last year before moving on through the England capital. It is already anticipated that public transport will be brought to a standstill during this march, while police are also having to be increased in order to keep it a non-violent protest.
A senior officer informed the Evening Standard that a protest had been held yesterday, though it was a “dress rehearsal” compared to what will take place on November 5th. He said: “Today will be the big one. Most of the hardcore protesters stayed away last night because they don’t always have a view on the student grants.
“They also didn’t want to be arrested, spend 24 hours in a cell and miss the protest today. We’re expecting trouble and for it to be nasty.”
Image Credit: Jordan Mansfield / Getty Images
Last year’s Million Mask March had a celebrity presence in the form of Russell Brand, who walked alongside protesters whilst in the middle of his own political crusade via his ‘The Trews’ YouTube channel.
The BBC came under fire in 2014 for failing to adequately cover the protests, with the major news network appearing to downplay the march and raising suspicions among those who attended, along with Anonymous. It remains to be seen whether a similar treatment will be given to the 2015 march.
