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Thousands flock to Lewes Bonfire celebrations

9:01pm Thursday 5th November 2009 in


Fat cat bankers and greedy MPs went up in flames last night at the Lewes Bonfire celebrations.

Thousands of people flocked to the town to watch the effigies as they were paraded through the streets.

Click here for a gallery of photos from the night

One effigy featured the former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith holding a cheque, with a giant pig to represent the greed of the MPs, on a gravy boat.

Revellers of all ages, from children in pushchairs to pensioners in wheelchairs, joined together to watch the spectacular processions through Lewes.

Six of the town’s bonfire societies took part in a variety of long-held traditions including a costume competition.

Efforts had been made to reduce the number of people going to the event from outside Lewes, with fewer trains stopping at the town and increased parking restrictions.

One of the very first videos of the procession was posted on YouTube by riwi01:

But there were mixed reports as to whether it had been successful. Some people said they had noticed fewer crowds at the event, while others said it was as busy as ever.

Sussex Police's dedicated Twitter feed reports that although the crowd is largely good natured, five men have been arrested for affray after a fight in East Street.

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Comments(23)

AmmeH says...
9:12pm Thu 5 Nov 09

What's a 'penisoner'?

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Conor says...
9:40pm Thu 5 Nov 09

AmmeH wrote:
What's a 'penisoner'?
I expect the sub-editor feels a bit of a ****.

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stan bailey says...
9:43pm Thu 5 Nov 09

Good to see this great event goes on year after year, without needing to dip into the public purse. Gay Pride could learn a lot from it

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AmmeH says...
10:57pm Thu 5 Nov 09

Aww they changed it now, i preferred the original spelling!

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John Steed says...
1:36am Fri 6 Nov 09

very good turn out, superb set pieces well done cliffe BS. the police efforts to stop parking and a fleet of towaway vehicle was a needless overkill, motorists just parked anywhere they could up on the estates. and on the A27
Lewes bonfire night is probally the greatest FREE entertainment in the south, and apart from a few vendors is not profiteering, the only benificaries are charities. what nobody seems to understand is that fewer people have a bonfire at home and thus look at events like lewes which keep a uniquely british tradition alive. a tradition that lewes keeps well and truly alive.
the police must accept that the best controllers of the event are the societies them selves and take note of the veiws of the bonfire council and not try to impose their own veiw of how things should be done,
a definate good night though weather perfect and harveys straight from the keg, wonderfull

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wole says...
7:50am Fri 6 Nov 09

This event should be banned!, total waste of time and money which could be spent on other things.
Another five arrests which would of been avoided if it was banned. Sad, sad people that go to Lewes every year. Grow up!!

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cheezburger says...
8:19am Fri 6 Nov 09

wole wrote:
This event should be banned!, total waste of time and money which could be spent on other things. Another five arrests which would of been avoided if it was banned. Sad, sad people that go to Lewes every year. Grow up!!
How is it a waste of money, it didn't cost you anything.

And 'would of been avoided' makes no sense at all. Perhaps you mean would HAVE. I expect the people enjoyed it and didn't feel sad. That word describes you though.

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D Merrett says...
9:05am Fri 6 Nov 09

It is not often that I bother to comment on other "set pieces" but wole you need to find a life. Is there anything wrong with this free event. I also agree with the comment let the relevant bonfire society organise their event. The Police and Council seem hell bent on using Health & Safety as a reason to stop and discourage historical events. Shall we close all Football matches and Concerts at Wembley??? Long may the celebrations in Lewes go on. As for the handfull of arrests, well a friday night in Brighton produces more...shall we close Brighton on a friday night???

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Luke72 says...
9:17am Fri 6 Nov 09

Southern Trains apporach to the event was terrible; they continued running 3 car trains on the Brighton to Lewes line and implemented terrible queuing systems at stations that meant regular commuters had a horrendous journey home. Why not just lay on a couple of 12 car trains and accept people want to go to it?

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bibble says...
10:22am Fri 6 Nov 09

It was a superb event last night. Very special, as always.

I arrived in time for lunch, thus avoiding the deliberately over-crowded trains on the way down.

The area around the war memorial was as packed as ever.

The small-minded powers that wanted to discourage people from attending seem to have failed, and I am gleeful. I rub salt into their wounds. I include Southern in this list. They should run extra trains as they know how packed they are. Do you know what? I spit it in their eye, and say "**** you". And ride back uncomfortably regardless.

Wole, you are a numpty of the first order. Please post a link with a photo of yourself and you can be an effigy next year.

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censored says...
10:41am Fri 6 Nov 09

wole wrote:
This event should be banned!, total waste of time and money which could be spent on other things.
Another five arrests which would of been avoided if it was banned. Sad, sad people that go to Lewes every year. Grow up!!
Quite right. We should ban anything that doesn't serve a practical purpose.

Recreational activities and entertainments are a waste of everyone's time.

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tonyinbrighton says...
10:42am Fri 6 Nov 09

Not often I agree with Bibble but this time spot on!
Cheers

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Kemp Town resident says...
11:59am Fri 6 Nov 09

This event involved being herded around in a huge crowd for three hours by police. If I'd wanted to do that, I would have gone to a riot. Definitely staying in Brighton next year.

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peejay1958 says...
12:07pm Fri 6 Nov 09

The parades were outstanding as always and an awesome spectacle. It would be a tragedy if these traditions were lost due to H & S constraints though sadly an event like this is always going to attract an idiot minority. It was disappointing to see one group of teenagers who were drinking at the time shouting obscenities at people in the parade and throwing bangers as they went past. If the police are going to close all the roads in Lewes they need to make sure that the ones outside the town that are still open are able to flow. The side road through Kingston was gridlocked due to people parking on the sides of the road restricting traffic to a single lane with inevitable consequences.

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Thebuilderman says...
12:45pm Fri 6 Nov 09

Didn't go myself but it is a bit of overkill by the police it is the biggest free event in east sussex and a part of history let encourage people to arrive by train rather than car do keep them away it has always been a great event leave people to enjoy themselves.

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Andre Spooner says...
2:43pm Fri 6 Nov 09

I have spent the last week preparing the most delicate ear protectors for my Mighty Horse. Yesterday, my work was complete and we rode gloriously through the centre of the parade, emitting smoke and spitting fire, baby!

I am not amused, however, at the teenagers throwing joints of meat about. I was hit by a hock of lamb on my calf and it is still throbbing today. This is no place to throw meat!

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Old Ladys Gin says...
3:45pm Fri 6 Nov 09

I see a few were arrested at this amazing and cultural event. A true reflection of the religious history of this country, which is what Guy Fawkes is all about. Long may it last as as a distinct lesson to those in 'power' that their actions are transparent.
I could suggest the arrest of several hundred people, not in Sussex, but in another house!

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waspexile says...
3:53pm Fri 6 Nov 09

Kemp Town resident wrote:
This event involved being herded around in a huge crowd for three hours by police. If I'd wanted to do that, I would have gone to a riot. Definitely staying in Brighton next year.
"Kemp Town resident" Do a bit of planning and work out what you want to see. Its a big event with lots of things going on. You can see on the web the estimates of around 50,000 people last year, Lewes is a smallish town, its going to be crowded.
I wasnt herded anywhere and just walked about.
I think you've answered your own complaint by saying you will stay away. All the more room for the rest of us. You get as much out of events like this as you put in.

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dpgsussex says...
3:57pm Fri 6 Nov 09

Excellent evening. I thought overall there had been a fairly good balance between H&S requirements. I saw no major incidents, but read in the police statement that there were 11 arrests, all for minor things like drunk and disorderly - you'll note that the promised "hard-line" on alcohol didn't happen - common sense prevailed and the police seemed only to intervene where necessary. There were fairly long queues for the trains, but no worse than previous years - and Southern were running extra trains, despite their claims to the contrary; I also thought they were managing the queues/boarding of the trains fairly well. My only complaint would be the Londoners who turned up late and forced themselves to the front of everyone else who had arrived early (although the PAer at Waterloo was an interesting chap... I must've heard at least a hundred times about the "purveyors of fine food" and the "unequalled-in-Lewes
-tonight pyrotechnical displays")

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John Steed says...
4:42pm Fri 6 Nov 09

wole wrote:
This event should be banned!, total waste of time and money which could be spent on other things. Another five arrests which would of been avoided if it was banned. Sad, sad people that go to Lewes every year. Grow up!!
ignore him he is just hoping to get his effigy blown up next year as an enemy of bonfire,
Pra** wouldnt run a close tenth to good old "George the Mouth"

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wole says...
5:45pm Fri 6 Nov 09

What are you on about Steed?
Who the **** is George the Mouth?

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jbhove says...
1:08pm Sat 7 Nov 09

I thought the effigies were Charles Kennedy and Maggie Thatcher. Ah well.... I'm wrong again....

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lucyamb says...
1:11pm Sat 7 Nov 09

wole wrote:
This event should be banned!, total waste of time and money which could be spent on other things. Another five arrests which would of been avoided if it was banned. Sad, sad people that go to Lewes every year. Grow up!!
Grow up? How dare you! I'm more than happy to go to Lewes every year, drink a bit too much and have a wonderful time, celebrating the only time every year when Brits actually let their hair down. May I continue to do this just as long as my arthritic knees let me!

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MP's and their expenses are lampooned in the processions Cliffe Society run with barrels of fire The processions gather around Lewes War Memorial Shrek makes an appearance

MPs and their expenses are lampooned in the processions

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