I thought that the dapper young man with the top hat had an uncanny resemblance to Guy Fawkes. Twenty-one year old Jonathan Lacheret, was among several hundred activists who decided to Occupy La Défense, a business district on the edge of Paris where several multi-nationals have their headquarters. It's about the closest thing that Paris has to compare with the business district around New York's Wall Street. Many of these young people had already been "occupying" La Bastille, in the center of Paris , shortly after the Indignados movement began in Madrid. "La Défense, is a stronger symbol today, says Jonathan, La Bastille is history." As more French Indignés arrived, with their backpacks and tents, office workers were rushing to catch the metro home on this cold Friday evening. The police were in strong number, ready to pounce at the first sign of tents going up.
This was on the eve of Guy Fawkes Night when the English commemorate the failure of the "gunpowder plot" by lighting bonfires all over England. Fawkes was a devout Catholic and conspired to blow up the British Parlement at Westminter during the opening session of Parlement, Nov. 5, 1605, hoping to assassinate the Protestant king, James the First. Five centuries later, Guy Fawkes has inspired the principal character from the cartoon strip, "V for Vendetta", in a futuristic Britain where V is a hero, ready to sacrifice himself for liberty against a fascist state. V's mask resembles the face of Guy Fawkes. This is also the mask often worn by members of a nebulous group of internet hackers known as "Anonymous" who defend the freedom of expression on internet. They have vowed to avenge the incarceration of WikiLeaks guru Julian Assange and they implemented cyber attacks against the repressive regime of Tunisian president, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. More recently these cyber guerilla fighters have attacked the web site of the New York Stock Exchange and the smiling diabolical mask is often sighted at Zucotti Park where the Occupy Wall Street protestors are camping out.
From Tahrir Square to Madrid by way of Zucotti Park and La Défense, the movement of protest and indignation is spreading. All governments that ignore the will of the people should beware. "We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us." (The Anonymous motto.)
Although they have not been allowed to raise tents, "Occupy La Défense" has maintained a presence at the Défense since last week. They have called for a large march on 11/11/11, to begin at 11:00, from the Peace Monument near the Eiffel Tower to La Défense.