Guy gets banned

[Osesame]

Fury over 'PC' Guy Fawkes ban

FURY erupted today after Guy Fawkes night was banned by “politically correct” council chiefs and replaced by a Bengali folk tale.

Tower Hamlets Council in east London has chosen an “alternative theme” for fireworks night - traditionally based on the attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

Instead council bosses have shelled out £75,000 on a fireworks display based on a Bengali tale called Emperor and the Tiger.

Sunday’s display at Hackney's Victoria Park is expected to attract 20,000 but there will no mention of the Guy Fawkes plot.

The move came under fire from George Galloway and campaigners.

Mr Galloway, Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow said: "It beggars belief that this council should organise a Bonfire Night without a bonfire or a Guy."

John Midgley, spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said the council's move would "explode in their faces".

He added: "There's a time and a place for everything and November 5 is for Bonfire Night. It's time for common sense and for people to tell bureaucrats that politically correct actions like these undermine our historic occasions and harm community relations."


Tower Hamlets' Bengali population of 65,000 make up about one third of the London borough.

But Bengalis dominate the council and its cabinet with 31 of the 51 councillors.

Tower Hamlets council insisted they were neither being politically correct nor forgetting the gunpowder plot.

A spokesman said: “Since introducing the themed events four years ago, visitor numbers have increased from 3,000 to a massive 23,000 people at last year's event. Let's judge the event by how much people enjoy themselves on the night."


More erosion of our heritage!!! Where will it end?
I Know,why don't we dump the queen and royal family?
Maybe we could ban white skinned people from holding any kind of office in government.

I heard this on the news last night, was not impressed, what is this country coming to?

[davidmphill]

Read it in yesterdays press and to be honest It didn't shock me.
Whats going on in PC Britain is beyond belief, as Ose said, Where will it end?

[slapdash]

Is this a meaning of the word "ban" I don't know?

In what sense have they "banned" Guy Fawkes or Guy Fawkes night? In fact,
the Tower Hamlets council website prominently advertizes this as a Guy
Fawkes night celebration.

[Osesame]

That sounds a bit like going to see the "Terminator" only to find that it is "Snow White"

[Milou]

Hmmmm... can't find out the details of last year event anywhere - so am happy to be proved wrong - but the council spokesman says they have been running themed events for the last 4 years. I suspect the last few years have made equally little reference to Guy Fawkes during the display itself, but as they did not feature folk stories from Bengal previously then they attracted no attention in the national press. Looks like they are just intending to put on a big 'son et lumiere' show as the french would call it - and having increased attendance from 3,000 to over 20,000 (before this years Bengali themed event) - it looks this is exactly what the locals are wanting. Personally can't see what the fuss is about.

[project_rockshark]

well i can actually see there pov on this one, yay lets celebrate the burning of the catholics every year!....

[Valiant23]

I think when I was growing up I was taught it was more a celebration of democracy over terrorism. The religious aspect was a minor point.


Wouldn't it be nice to have a council that actually encouraged English culture.

[Pocket Lady]

This sounds just like last year's "Winterval" that replaced Christmas in Birmingham so as not to upset any "un christian" folk whilst going to town with the "Festival of lights" for Divali.

[aliando]

this is just ridiculous - everyone knows that the 5th of november is set in strong cultural ways - it is the day that it is legal to throw explosives at strangers, and put them through letterboxes of peoples houses.

[project_rockshark]

lol good point aliando! p.s valiant most experts agree that it was prob. a set up to frame the catholics rebels.

[slapdash]

Originally Posted by Pocket Lady

This sounds just like last year's "Winterval" that replaced Christmas in Birmingham so as not to upset any "un christian" folk whilst going to town with the "Festival of lights" for Divali.

Last year? It was 1998 when there was all the hysteria about this in the
media.

And it may have been a bad idea, but Birmingham Council's "Winterval" was
a several-month long collection of events, both religious and secular,
including Christmas, Diwali, New Year, etc., etc., not a "replacement" for
Christmas. And if they were worried about Christmas upsetting non-Christians,
then they obviously forgot to tell the guy who put up a large sign in lights on
the main council building saying "Happy Christmas Birmingham".

[AJ]

wonder if we'll create any cultral events for future generations ??

Maybe people will celebrate Bin Laden day in the future, where we dress up a dummy in a turben and burn it ??

Of course if we lose the war, perhaps english kids will celebrate on 11th Sept, by getting toy planes and crashing them into cardboard office blocks before heading off to mosque

[GotaFancy?]

Just out of curiosity - how does bonfire night go down in Northern Ireland? I can imagine it might be quite contentious, but I don't recall ever hearing of problems associated with it over there......

[AJ]

it's not a huge thing over there, bonfires are also done on the 12th July

[GotaFancy?]

Originally Posted by Foolsgold

it's not a huge thing over there, bonfires are also done on the 12th July

That surprises me - I wouldn't have thought the Protestants would have needed much encouragement to put an effigy of a Catholic on a bonfire and burn it

What's the 12th July?

[AJ]

12th July 1690 Battle of the Boyne, defeat of James II by william of Orange

It's the major event in the unionist calender

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Boyne