Million Mask March: Hacktivists Against Mass Surveillance

Chances are, this week you saw Guy Fawkes’ visage on the streets, as protesters in 481 cities worldwide participated in the Million Mask March, promoted by internet activist group Anonymous.

The march attracted a wide range of participants, including supporters of anti-capitalist, anti-war and pro-Palestine movements.

Anonymous is said to be a leaderless collective group that is opposed to government corruption and social injustice.

Anonymous includes a group of so-called hacktivists, who use computers and other modern technology to promote free speech, human rights and information ethics. In the past, members of Anonymous were behind a series of high-profile attacks on the websites of the governments of Tunisia and Israel, Visa and Mastercard, as well as the Church of Scientology.

London saw one of the largest protests, as thousands wearing Guy Fawkes masks, popularized by the movie V for Vendetta, gathered in Parliament Square, before marching down towards the Buckingham Palace.

The protests in London were accompanied by a heavy police presence in riot gear.

The crowd clashed with the British police on Wednesday evening; as a result, 10 people were arrested.

The Guy Fawkes mask, the mustached white face with a smile and rosy cheeks, was popularized by the movie “V for Vendetta” and has become the “face” of the protests.

Protesters gathered throughout the United States, flooding the streets of New York, Portland, and Los Angeles, among others.

Supporters of the Anonymous group took to the Liberty Bridge in Budapest, Hungary.

The French organized their own protests in solidarity with their neighbors north of the English Channel.

The protesters blocked 20 schools in Paris to pay tribute to Remi Fraisse, a 21-year old student killed during clashes with the police on October 26.