Ban Guy Fawkes

WHEN people joyfully let off fireworks on Thursday, one wonders how many people know the history of Guy Fawkes.

Born in York on April 13, 1570, Guy Fawkes moved to Spain in 1591 to fight in the Eighty Years’ War. Back in England, he was introduced to Robert Catesby, who planned to assassinate King James I by blowing up the king and his government. Fawkes supported Catesby’s plot to restore a Catholic king to the throne, and an area below the House of Lords was leased to store 20 barrels of gunpowder.

On November 5, 1505, he was discovered guarding the gunpowder. His arrest followed and he was then tortured and questioned until he broke. He was sentenced to death by hanging on January 31, 1606, but managed to jump off the scaffold, breaking his neck and dying on the spot. Since then, the event has been celebrated in Great Britain and the colonies by the burning of an effigy of Guy Fawkes and firework displays.

Why has such a destructive and negative event been celebrated for 410 years? Surely only joyful and positive events deserve celebration?

However, we live in a perverse world with ongoing wars, terrorism and the current European migrant crisis.

It could be argued that until South Africa became a republic in 1961, the celebration of Guy Fawkes was part of our heritage as a crown colony. However, it hasn’t been since 1961 and should be banned forthwith – particularly for the sake of our dogs and cats, not to mention injuries to people. André Loubser