Pacifism? Ha! He killed the entire ruling inner circle, and then blew up Parliament. Without orders from higher up, the sojers were not going to start strafing their neighbors for showing up with a mask on. Wish he hadn’t added the crowd scene to the story. Read the comic. Saw the movie eventually. I like Alan Moore, but his political correctness gets in the way and on my nerves.
Now you are getting it!