By Will Stark
Remember, remember, the fifth of November. Guy Fawkes Day, an English holiday that celebrates the acts of a terrorist.
Life was rough as a seventeenth-century Catholic living in England. King James I had persecuted and tortured Catholics across the country. As a result, many began conspiring against him. Enter Guy Fawkes.
Robert Catesby, a Roman Catholic, began conspiring against the king. With the help of three other conspirators, one of them being Guy Fawkes, the scheme began.
Before resorting to violent means, Catesby tried to secure the repeal of the Penal Laws, which penalized being Catholic. He enlisted the help of a duke and constable and still was unsuccessful. Clearly, stronger measures were necessary.
In December 1604, almost a year before the planned attack, the conspirators began digging a hole under the trench to reach the Parliament building. About three months in, it was learned that a vault could be rented that was directly below the House of Lords, the body of Parliament that drafts laws. Thirty-six barrels of gunpowder were stowed in the vault and covered in firewood. The trap was laid, and the conspirators dispersed.
An anonymous letter, the writer of which remains unknown, appeared in the English court, warning them to avoid attendance when Parliament reconvened. As a result, the plot was discovered, and Guy Fawkes was caught, waiting to set the fuse on the barrels of gunpowder.
After Guy Fawkes was captured, he was taken and tortured for information regarding his conspirators, despite his claims that he worked alone. After three days of constant interrogation, Fawkes finally gave in. After his compatriots in crime were rounded up, King James ordered that they be hung but not to death, then drawn and quartered. The king declared November 5th to be a celebration of thanksgiving, when a plot to overthrow the government had been stopped. However, the holiday has evolved into something very different.
To celebrate Guy Fawkes and his legacy, parades and fireworks are set off. Large bonfires are shared with family, friends, and the whole community. They commemorate what would have happened if Fawkes had never been caught. Children make effigies, or small wooden dolls stuffed with paper or straw, of Guy Fawkes, and ask for pennies to buy fireworks. Rhymes are used to commemorate what happened on this day.
In modern day, parades, especially in Lewes, have evolved into a form of free speech. Controversial political figures have made their way onto the floats of the Bonfire Parade to be burned, including Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Guy Fawkes Day, while technically celebrating a terrorist, has come to symbolize the dangers of oppression and the importance of free speech. It is a reminder of what can happen when voices are suppressed. In a world where free speech is increasingly diminished, Guy Fawkes Day can remind us of the importance of being involved.