DILEMMA: SHOULD BONFIRE NIGHT BE BANNED?

The Big Debate DILEMMA: SHOULD BONFIRE NIGHT BE BANNED? THE BIG DEBATE: SHOULD BONFIRE NIGHT BE BANNED Friday 10 November 2017 THE DILEMMA It has been a tradition for centuries. Every 5 November, people in Britain light bonfires, let off fireworks, burn effigies of Guy Fawkes and munch on hot dogs and toffee apples. Bonfire Night, also known as Fireworks Night or Guy Fawkes Night, is a very popular event in the UK, with huge organised displays and small parties at home entertaining young and old alike. So it s a popular British tradition, but is it a good thing? Many household pets, including dogs and cats, are terrified of firework explosions. It causes trauma and can upset the animals for days. Fireworks bought by members of the public can be used as weapons. Bonfires are bad for the environment, and accidents can and do happen. This year, 14 people, including children, were injured at one firework display in Wiltshire alone. Is it time to ban the bonfires, or is it an important British tradition that we should continue to celebrate? Toffee apples are a popular treat during Bonfire Night GLOSSARY EFFIGY a model or dummy of a person that is made to be damaged or destroyed

The Big Debate DILEMMA: SHOULD BONFIRE NIGHT BE BANNED? THE HISTORY OF BONFIRE NIGHT Friday 10 November 2017 Why do we remember, remember the fifth of November with fireworks and bonfires? The tradition dates back to 5 November 1605; the day that the Gunpowder Plot was uncovered and stopped. The plot aimed to kill King James I of England by blowing up the House of Lords in London when he was visiting. This, the plotters hoped, would be the beginning of an uprising that would lead to James nine-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, becoming the Queen. The plotters were a group of English Catholics who were very unhappy with the anti-catholic policies of the Government. Out of the 12 plotters, Guy Fawkes was selected to be in charge of the explosives. A drawing of Guy Fawkes with his barrels of gunpowder A dog helps children push a Guy Fawkes dummy in the 1930s An anonymous letter revealed the plans of the Gunpowder Plot. On 5 November 1605, authorities discovered Fawkes with 36 barrels of gunpowder in a storage room under the House of Lords. To celebrate the plot being uncovered in the nick of time, people lit bonfires across London. Parliament then passed something called the Observance of 5th November Act 1605, which called on the public to celebrate an annual thanksgiving for the failure of the plot. Over the next few hundred years, the tradition to mark the day with bonfires and the burning of homemade dummies representing Guy Fawkes became very popular. In the 20th century, fireworks became a big part of the entertainment, and large, organised public events increased in popularity. King James Children watch an effigy of Guy Fawkes burning on a bonfire

The Big Debate DILEMMA: SHOULD BONFIRE NIGHT BE BANNED? Friday 10 November 2017 FACTS & FIGURES 20 million people in the UK attend either a private or public firework display over the November period, according to the British Pyrotechnists Association. Around 40 million is spent on fireworks in the UK in an average year. Children with fireworks in 1930. It is now illegal for under-18s to buy or possess fireworks in public places. In a 2013 opinion poll, 67% of adults said that fireworks should only be let off at properly organised displays. 168,160 people signed a petition in 2016 calling on a ban of the sale of fireworks to the public. 67% 4,506 people visited Accident and Emergency (A&E) in 2014-15 for treatment of an injury caused by fireworks. British law says that fireworks cannot be set off between 11am 7pm, apart from on Bonfire Night (when the cut-off is midnight) and New Year s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year (when the cut off is 1am). There was an 111% increase in the number of people treated in hospital for firework injuries in 2014-15 compared with five years earlier. You can be fined up to 5,000 and imprisoned for up to 6 months for selling or using fireworks illegally.

The Big Debate DILEMMA: SHOULD BONFIRE NIGHT BE BANNED? Friday 10 November 2017 DID YOU KNOW? Diwali celebrations In the UK, adults can only buy fireworks (including sparklers) from registered sellers for private use on these dates: 15 October to 10 November (for Bonfire Night) 26 to 31 December (for New Year s Eve) 3 days before Diwali and Chinese New Year Diwali The five- day festival of lights is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains worldwide. The triumph of light over darkness and good over evil is celebrated with candles, colourful lights and massive firework displays. Chinese New Year This marks the start of the lunar new year, which is when there is the start of a new moon. It is different to the Gregorian calendar that we use in the UK, which always starts on 1 January. The Chinese New Year date varies according to the moon s patterns, but it falls between 21 January and 20 February. Chinese New Year celebrations At a 2016 Bonfire Night event, an effigy of Guy Fawkes was replaced with one of President Donald Trump holding the head of Hillary Clinton

The Big Debate DILEMMA: SHOULD BONFIRE NIGHT BE BANNED? Friday 10 November 2017 FIREWORKS & BONFIRES: THE DRAWBACKS They produce spectacular, dazzling light displays, but fireworks come with some drawbacks too. These are the main reasons some people want fireworks and Bonfire Night displays banned: THEY CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS Every year, hundreds of people end up in hospital with injuries caused by fireworks on Bonfire Night. Throughout the whole year, thousands of people are hurt by them. The injuries include burns, debris in the eye from bonfires and flying fireworks, and smoke inhalation (breathing in dangerous levels of smoke from a fire). Injuries tend to occur in private firework displays at home, rather than organised public events but this year 14 people were hurt at a public display in Wiltshire when fireworks shot towards the crowd. THEY CAN BE USED AS WEAPONS Fireworks are effectively mini-explosives. You light the fuse and an explosion takes place that sets off the light spectacle. This means that some criminals use them as a weapon. Fireworks can injure people both by burning them and hitting them at speed. THEY SCARE PETS As the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) says, fireworks can be a source of fear for many animals. Blue Cross, the animal welfare charity, says that every year thousands of pets will suffer, and that their animal hospitals see a marked rise in pets requiring medication during such stressful times, and many pets are brought into Blue Cross rehoming centres having run away from home. Many animals have very sharp hearing, and the loud bangs and whistles caused by fireworks may cause them actual pain in their ears as well as make them stressed and anxious. Even deaf animals can be traumatised by fireworks, because they feel the vibrations from the explosions in the air. BONFIRES ARE BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Even a small bonfire can become a cosy home for animals and insects, including hedgehogs, beetles and frogs. Many creatures burn to death when bonfires are lit if people do not check properly for wildlife beforehand. There s also the problem of pollution from bonfires. Carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas), dioxins (toxic molecules) and particles are released into the atmosphere by bonfires, contributing to air pollution, which is a big problem in the UK and around the world. IT ISN T APPROPRIATE If Guy Fawkes and his fellow plotters tried to blow Parliament up today, they d be called terrorists. What they attempted in 1605 was an act of terrorism that might have killed dozens of people including the King. At a time when Britain and other countries face the possibility of terrorist attacks, is it appropriate to celebrate the failed Gunpowder Plot every year by shooting fireworks into the sky? Moreover, in some Bonfire Night celebrations, effigies of people that are currently living are burned as part of the tradition. For example, at the famous Lewes Bonfire Night in Sussex, the likenesses of political figures are often set alight. Is this appropriate behaviour?

The Big Debate DILEMMA: SHOULD BONFIRE NIGHT BE BANNED? Friday 10 November 2017 THE POLLUTION RISK IS SMALL Bonfires contribute a tiny amount to the overall air pollution problem in the UK. Diesel cars, power plants and aeroplanes are far more damaging to the environment. If a government is serious about tackling air pollution, they need to get to grips with major greenhouse gas emissions, not bonfires every November. IT WON T JUST BE BONFIRE NIGHT FIREWORKS & BONFIRES: THE POSITIVES THEY RE FUN! Bonfire Night is a whole lot of fun. It livens up the dark, cold autumn with a bright, colourful display of dazzling lights and a roaring bonfire. The public displays bring people together from all corners of the local community, while private parties are a great chance to catch up with friends and family. Banning Bonfire Night means banning fun! WE CAN T BAN EVERYTHING THAT MAY BE HARMFUL Of course fireworks and bonfires can cause injuries, but so can lots of things, such as cars, kitchen knives and air travel. Far more people and animals are hurt by cars each year than by fireworks and bonfires. We do need sensible rules, such as fireworks only being sold to over-18s and information about how to keep safe, but we don t need a complete ban. Critics of a Bonfire Night ban point out that you would also have to consider banning Diwali, New Year s Eve firework parties (including the famous celebration over the River Thames in London, broadcast live on TV every year) and Chinese New Year. For all of these events, members of the public can buy fireworks to take home, or can attend large public displays. Banning the 5 November festivities would almost certainly have a knock-on effect on other celebrations, too. IT S A GREAT BRITISH TRADITION In the UK, Bonfire Night has been a yearly tradition for centuries. We celebrate the failure of a plot to kill the King and bring down Parliament. It s a big and entertaining part of the national culture. Fireworks are also a crucial element to traditional Diwali, Chinese New Year and New Year s Eve celebrations up and down the country. We cannot just ban these old, proud traditions.

The Big Debate DILEMMA: SHOULD BONFIRE NIGHT BE BANNED? Friday 10 November 2017 YES, BONFIRE NIGHT SHOULD BE BANNED NO, BONFIRE NIGHT SHOULD NOT BE BANNED It harms animals and the environment We mustn t just think of our own entertainment. Animals are traumatised and even injured by fireworks, while bonfires contribute to air pollution. Why should we continue these activities that are harmful to us and our environment? Terrorist plots should not be celebrated The Gunpowder Plot was a major terrorist plot to blow up Parliament and kill the King. It was stopped in time but it isn t right to mark this attempted attack with fireworks and the burning of effigies. It encourages crime and causes accidents It s no surprise that letting off fireworks and lighting fires leads to hospital visits. Bonfire Night puts the emergency services under a tremendous strain. Fireworks are also sometimes used as criminal weapons. It s safer for everyone to do away with fireworks and ban Bonfire Night altogether. Killjoys shouldn t spoil the fun Bonfire Night is fun and firework displays are beautiful. It is wrong to spoil millions of people s enjoyment. You can t ban everything that is risky Yes, there are some injuries related to fireworks. But according to data from the USA, 190 people there ended up in hospital as a result of injuries from Christmas decorations in 2014, and Christmas trees directly caused 56 visits to hospital. Should we ban Christmas? Of course not. Tradition is important The exact reason why we celebrate Bonfire Night isn t actually the point. Bonfire Night isn t really about plots to blow up Parliament and kill the King any more. But it is a traditional celebration that goes back centuries and should be respected. Traditions are what define a country.

The Big Debate DILEMMA: SHOULD BONFIRE NIGHT BE BANNED? Friday 10 November 2017 Do you enjoy firework displays? Do you think Bonfire Night does more harm than good? Why do animal welfare charities worry about Bonfire Night? What might be the negative effects of banning fireworks and Bonfire Night celebrations? If a tradition is old and popular, does that mean it should be allowed to continue? If we banned Bonfire Night, should we also ban other major firework events such as Diwali and Chinese New Year celebrations? What steps can be taken to ensure Bonfire Night is safe for people and animals? Do you think Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot are still an important part of Bonfire Night celebrations, or ancient history? Do you know of any pets that have reacted badly to firework displays? What happened?