I went to Anonymous' Million Mask March in London and almost got hit by a firework

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anonymous million mask march

Business Insider/Jeremy Wilson

The Million Mask March took place in London last night amid warnings from police that things could turn violent - and it did.

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The annual event is loosely organised by the online activist group Anonymous and always takes place on November 5 -Bonfire Night in the UK.

People light fires and set off fireworks on Bonfire Night to commemorate the foiling of the Gun Power Plot - the failed attempt by Guy Fawkes and his associates to blow up the Houses of Parliament in the early 1600s. The romantic ideal of Fawkes as a freedom fighter who bravely stood up to an authoritarian government appeals to the anti-government and anti-establishment views of Anonymous.

The march itself is sort of an all encompassing protest march. There is no set cause that the participants are protesting against. For example, if you speak to people at the march, some were demonstrating against the government's welfare cuts while others were protesting against a badger cull.

I went along to see what all the fuss was about - and nearly got hit by a firework in the process.

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