Coventry’s Bonfire Night goes ‘out of control’

Numerous neighbours called 999 to protest for the fireworks, which are traditionally made every year to commemorate the date Guy Fawkes was arrested.

By Javier López-Cuervo

Dozens of people met on the 5th of November in different cities of the United Kingdom to celebrate Bonfire Night, corresponding to the anniversary of the arrest of Guy Fawkes, the man who fought for Catholicism and who planned an attack against the Protestant King James in 1605 to impose the monarchy of his daughter, Princess Elizabeth, third in the line of succession. The event took place with massive congregations all over the UK around the traditional fireworks, in memory of how Fawkes, who at the time was a member of the Gunpowder, was arrested while guarding explosives that the plotters had left in the House of Lords.

Guy Fawkes was born in York, where he grew up in Christian education. The Jesuit priest of his school described him as a ‘pleasant of approach and cheerful of manner, opposed to quarrels and strife ... loyal to his friends’. In 1604, Fawkes joined a group of English Catholics, led by Robert Catesby and called lately Gunpowder plot. A year later, the plotters tried to assassinate the Protestant King and his Parliament in a conspiracy that finally ended with the members of the plot arrested.

People celebrated Guy Fawkes’ failure with shiny fireworks in London. Then, the Observance of 5th November Act designated that day as an annual public day of thanksgiving due to the importance of the event.

In Coventry, numerous calls were made to 999 to report that Bonfire Night had went ‘out of control’ and had been ‘very busy’. All four Coventry’s stations noticed that they have received various calls. Foleshill Station and Binley Station informed that phone reports were ‘in and out’. Nevertheless, the authorities later expressed that none of the calls was for a real emergency and there were not major injuries. This was produced after many groups of people did their own fireworks even though the city hosted the official party of celebration.

Some other cities have also celebrated Guay Fawkes’ Night with showy and flashy fires in squares and places. In Greater London, the different town councils organized events with music and a festive atmosphere, although in other places they have decided to light the fires in a more environmentally friendly way.