Most elegant way to remove it if you haven't got tools is a soldering iron, apply heat carefully in the right area and the guard will weaken enough to be removed. Having said that, I've ripped them off before now, no harm done. Much better to have the right tools though, well worth buying as a cassette lockring removal tool and a chain whip is all you need (assuming you already have an adjustable spanner and an allen key (can't remember the allen key size offhand but it's big)) and it opens up a whole new avenue of bike maintenance tasks.
Dave.
Dave.
