Tag Archives: Anonymous

Anonymous Sides With Water Protectors

_anon

By Steve Russell | Indian Country Today, 9/12/16

The point of Anonymous is that it’s anonymous and every Guy Fawkes mask looks like every other Guy Fawkes mask. That creates an uncertainty factor around a threat by Anonymous that is, in itself, a force multiplier. I report that Anonymous has come down on the side of the people standing in the way of the Black Snake, the Dakota Access Pipeline….because a person in a Guy Fawkes mask says so in a video posted to YouTube.

The person behind the mask also has released what he claims is personal information about some individuals opposing the residents of the Sacred Stones Camp. Because I do not feel comfortable publishing the information—having no way to verify it—I will not be linking to the Anonymous messages.

The latest communiqué that claims to be from Anonymous and carries the customary symbols addresses “the world” but quickly focuses on North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple.

The masked individual who calls himself Sergeant Anonymous and may or may not represent the hacktivist collective calls Gov. Dalrymple’s decision to mobilize the National Guard against peaceful protestors “a fit of cowardice,” a description hard to dispute. The next statement gets to the nitty-gritty, claiming that the governor stands to make “millions” on the pipeline project and the Indians are standing between him and this stack of money.

Anonymous warns the governor to back off or they will release documents showing the conflict of interest and then goes on to say that if one protestor on the Indian side is harmed, Anonymous will “release docs on” the individuals responsible.

While translating that threat—which extends to individual Guardsmen—is perilous, it has in the past involved monkey wrenching individual credit ratings, cancelling credit cards—electronic mischief ranging from embarrassing to harmful.

Isn’t this kind of hacking against the law? Of course it is. That’s one reason Anonymous is anonymous. But of course doing harm to peaceful protestors is also against the law.

The ultimatum to Gov. Dalrymple came a day after Anonymous posted news and documentation of attacks on protestors by private security forces with dogs and pepper spray, mostly footage from Democracy Now! For those who remember, it was like the second coming of Bull Connor, except the dog handlers were hired muscle rather than paid directly by the public.

The protestors prevailed against private security on camera and they did it without breaking the discipline of nonviolence. In addition to theDemocracy Now!footage and other news items, Anonymous published a picture of the head of the security firm on YouTube as well as his home address.

Mobilizing the National Guard was a significant escalation.

Anonymous, should they carry out their threats, will be taking defensive action beyond the abilities of the people being attacked.

Of course, if there are no documents showing a conflict of interest, then the threat is as empty as if the person behind the Guy Fawkes mask were not part of the affinity group of hackers that calls itself Anonymous.

Only Governor Jack Dalrymple knows if he is doing private business with public assets. If he is, he has to wonder how much Anonymous knows and what documents they intend to drop. If he is not, he has nothing to fear.

Whoever the person behind the Guy Fawkes mask is, his claim puts the governor in an interesting situation. The power to force that issue without producing evidence out front is another reason Anonymous is anonymous.

Steve Russell, Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is a Texas trial court judge by assignment and associate professor emeritus of criminal justice at Indiana University-Bloomington. He lives in Georgetown, Texas.

Read original article here

Rehtaeh Parsons’s Father Credits Anonymous For Reopening Investigation

A supporter of the activist group Anonymous wears a mask during a protest against the BBC outside their studios in central London December 23, 2014. (Neil Hall/Reuters)

The Canadian Press,  Posted: Aug 03, 2015

While experts and officials decry recent instances of vigilantism by the hacktivist group Anonymous, one beneficiary of the group’s activism is adamant that justice would never have been served without involvement by the clandestine organization.

Glen Canning said he believes Anonymous’s threats to publicly identify boys allegedly involved in the cyberbullying that predated his daughter Rehtaeh Parsons’s death prompted Halifax police to reopen their investigation and eventually lay charges.

None of this would have happened if Anonymous hadn’t stepped in, said Canning. “I believe that absolutely. I have no question about that at all.”

Her family alleges Parsons was sexually assaulted in November 2011 and bullied for months when a digital photo of the assault was passed around her school. She died after attempting suicide in 2013. An angry post from Parsons’s mother brought the case to the attention of Anonymous, said Canning.

“Why go through the courts? Why go through the system?” he said in a telephone interview from Nova Scotia. “Why be revictimized again when you can write something and get ahold of some people online who can really do a hell of a lot more to bring you a sense of justice than the police and the courts can?”

Anonymous is a shadowy, loosely knit collective known for its online activism targeting governments, corporations and religious groups around the world on prominent social justice issues.

‘The system is broken’

The group made headlines last month after one of its alleged members was shot and killed by police in Dawson Creek, in northern British Columbia.

rehteah-feature

Rehateh Parsons’s father Glen Canning said he believes his daughter’s case would not have reopened without the help of Anonymous.

Reacting to the shooting, Anonymous threatened to temporarily shut down police websites and release hacked government documents related to the overseas communication capabilities of Canada’s spy agency.

The RCMP national site and the website for Dawson Creek both went down briefly after the threat. Mounties later said it was a maintenance issue.

The group threatened to go public with more “stunning secrets” unless the government named and charged the RCMP officers involved in the shooting of James McIntyre, 48. B.C.’s police watchdog is investigating the shooting.

Bystander video revealed McIntyre was wearing Anonymous’s trademark Guy Fawkes mask. Fawkes was the most well-known member of a plot to blow up the British Parliament in 1605.

“Stuff like this happens because the system is broken,” said Canning. “If we can fix the system … then maybe we wouldn’t need Anonymous.”

Dalhousie University law professor and cyberbullying expert Wayne MacKay said Anonymous has played a role in advancing the cause of justice, such as spurring governments to take action. Though no government would concede publicly it had acted in response to pressure from Anonymous, he added.

Still, MacKay raised a red flag about the group’s unorthodox style of activism.

“Even if they’re filling a hole in our justice system does that justify breaking the law?” he said.

“Often the answer to that would be no. We do have a structured justice system for a reason and we shouldn’t necessarily allow a sort of vigilante response even if we think the main justice system is moving too slowly.”

‘There’s no excuse for vigilantism’

Central to the dilemma is a concept found right in the collective’s name: anonymity.

MacKay described the members as unelected and unaccountable purveyors of justice.

“Because they’re anonymous and hide behind masks they’re not responsible or accountable for what they do,” he said.

Former B.C. Court of Appeal justice and provincial attorney general Wally Oppal was unapologetic in his condemnation of the group’s methods.

“There’s no excuse for vigilantism,” he said in an interview. “It’s a recipe for anarchy.”

He chided the activist group for failing to give investigators enough time to probe the Dawson Creek shooting.

Oppal said the public is justified in feeling frustration with delays in the justice system, but there needs to be a process based on fairness.

Anonymous claimed responsibility for a June attack that shut down several federal sites and wreaked havoc with email — billing it as a protest against the federal security legislation that broadened the mandate for Canada’s spy agency.

There is obviously interest in “trying to identify these hackers, it goes without saying,” said Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney last week.

“All the agencies involved in security … we’d really like to be able to put an end to this.”

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/1.3177605

Anonymous Leaks Documents, Says Stephen Harper Tried To Spy On Barack Obama

Leaked documents from the hacker group Anonymous appeared to reveal the breadth and scope of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) surveillance network. In this photo, a vehicle passes a sign outside the CSIS headquarters in Ottawa November 5, 2014. Reuters/Chris Wattie

Leaked documents from the hacker group Anonymous appeared to reveal the breadth and scope of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) surveillance network. In this photo, a vehicle passes a sign outside the CSIS headquarters in Ottawa November 5, 2014. Reuters/Chris Wattie

IBT Media

Hackers affiliated with the Anonymous group leaked confidential Canadian intelligence documents Tuesday, revealing the country’s spying activities abroad. The documents exposed the widespread reach of the surveillance network operated by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

Officially, CSIS only operates three foreign stations — in Washington DC, London and Paris — but the leaked document marked as “secret,” purportedly from the country’s Treasury Board, lists a total of 25 foreign stations, “many of which are located in developing countries and/or unstable environments.”

The stations handle about 22,500 messages a year, though that does not include “the high volume of extremely sensitive traffic from the Washington station,” the February 2014 document stated.

The classified document also includes a plan to expand CSIS’ intelligence network at a cost of approximately 3 million Canadian dollars ($2.3 million). The document criticizes the “inefficient and labor intensive data-processing and analysis systems [used] to process and report intelligence information obtained at it foreign stations. … These outdated processes result in delays that impact the Service’s operational effectiveness and jeopardizes the security of its personnel.”

The hacker group also posted a video alleging that the Canadian Communications Security Establishment (CSE) attempted to spy on U.S. President Barack Obama under the orders of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and, when caught, endangered the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Alberta in Canada through Illinois, Texas and Oklahoma. There was no proof posted for this claim.

The documents and the video were put up after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police failed to comply with a previous deadline issued by the group, calling for the arrest of one of its members purportedly involved in the shooting last week of a British Columbia man who was allegedly an Anonymous affiliate.

In the video, an Anonymous member said that the latest leaks were the first of many to come in the near future.

https://vimeo.com/134671981

“There is info … that’s explosive, we think, but we are not providing source documentation on that now or ever. If we did, someone would be in a police party van within 15 minutes,” the unnamed member says in the video.

“Canadian security forces and their Five Eyes partners in New Zealand, the U.K., Australia, and the U.S. have been extremely pro-active in developing and purchasing offensive hacking capabilities,” he adds.

“Fortunately for us, Canada has been far more lax in defending its own systems.”

http://www.ibtimes.com/anonymous-leaks-canadian-spy-documents-says-stephen-harper-tried-spy-barack-obama-2027022

Anonymous Urges Followers To Protest At RCMP Headquarters Across The Country

Police attend to the victim in the Dawson Creek shooting. (Mike Irmen)

Police attend to the victim in the Dawson Creek shooting. (Mike Irmen)

By Red Power Media, Staff

Activist group Anonymous vows to avenge Dawson Creek shooting

An RCMP involved shooting in Dawson Creek has sparked a backlash on Twitter from the online international activist group Anonymous.

Anonymous is vowing to avenge what it calls one of its comrades and is asking its 1.5 million followers to protest at RCMP headquarters in every province.

The shooting took place outside the Fixx Urban Grill restaurant at the Stonebridge Hotel on Highway 2 near the outskirts of the city. RCMP were called to a restaurant to reports of a man disrupting and damaging property at a BC Hydro open house on the Site C dam project.

The Independent Investigations Office of BC quickly took over the case.

A new video shot by witness Mike Irmen shows a close up view of the seconds after the victim is brought to the ground by police.

Irmen says the man was shot and killed by officers when he refused to throw away his knife. He continued to clutch the weapon while lying on the ground.

Finally, one officer handcuffed the bleeding man and another grabbed a first aid kit from a patrol car, said, Irmen. The man was taken to hospital, but died of his injuries.

Anonymous claims in an on-line release that the man shot and killed was its fourth member to be slain by security forces around the world in as many years.

Anonymous is also threatening to identify the RCMP officer involved and reveal personal information.

RCMP say they’re aware of Anonymous’ tweets and are reviewing them.

The IIO has also taken notice of the social media posts.

“We are all aware of this and we take all precautions,” said IIO, Kellie Kilpatrick of the post.

The B.C. Coroners Service says it likely won’t release the victim’s identity until Monday at the earliest.

Police won’t say if the victim has a connection to Anonymous.

B.C. watchdog investigating two police killings

Meanwhile, British Columbia’s police watchdog is investigating its second police shooting in three days after officers killed a distressed man in Surrey early Saturday, sparking alarm from civil liberties advocates.

The IIO said police responded to reports of a suicidal man outside Surrey RCMP headquarters before a struggle ensued and he was fatally shot.

A police officer suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was taken to a hospital.

The incident follows Thursday evenings fatal RCMP shooting in Dawson Creek.

Cops Kill Man in Guy Fawkes Mask, Anonymous Vows to “Avenge” the Police Killing

RCMP Shot Man in Guy Fawkes (Anonymous) Mask

One day after the hacker group Anonymous vowed to “avenge one of our own,” the RCMP’s website has crashed.

A Twitter account associated with the global activist group has posted photos showing the Dawson Creek RCMP website server status listed as ‘down.’

https://twitter.com/OpAnonDown/status/622773221834760192

 

Cops Kill Man In Guy Fawkes Mask, Anonymous Vows To “Avenge” The Police Killing

anon-vows-revenge-police-killing

By Jay Syrmopoulos / TheFreeThoughtProject.com

A man wearing an Anonymous mask was killed by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) outside of a Dawson Creek restaurant last night. Since then, the hacking collective took to Twitter vowing to avenge their fallen Anon with the launch of #OpAnonDown.

In a tweet later deleted, the hacktivist group made it be known that they would respond to the killing of their comrade.

Like we will not fight back, like we will not avenge our fallen. #AnonLivesMatter Fucking Expect Us. — Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) July 18, 2015

The man killed by police was initially misidentified by police investigators as being related to a disturbance call inside of a public hearing, but police later admitted that these incidents were in no way related to one another.

This initial misinformation has led to accusations from Anonymous that police are in the initial phases of a cover up.

In a video appearing on Facebook, two officers are seen standing over a man with their guns drawn as the man lay on the ground, wearing a Guy Fawkes mask and a grey hoodie.

The mask is a symbol often synonymous with an affiliation with the global hacktivist group know as Anonymous. The hacker collective quickly let it be known that they would not take the killing of one of their lightly.

Police claim the man refused to drop a pocket knife. In the video, the officer appears to kick something away from the man’s body, although no object can be readily seen. In typical police fashion, officers can be seen handcuffing the victims body as he lay in a pool of blood.

According to a report by The Province:

Kellie Kilpatrick, spokeswoman for the police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office, issued a clarification Friday night, saying that two men, not one as was initially reported, were involved in the incident that happened as a public hearing for the contentious Site C dam was taking place.

“Police arrive at the location and they come into contact with a second individual who is unrelated to the original complaint,” she said. “He is aggressive. He does not follow police commands and he is shot. He is transported to hospital but he does not survive.”

When asked by a reporter from The Province how this misidentification happened, Kilpatrick stated, “At this point I don’t have that information.”

She refused to name the victim or the name of the officers involved in the killing.

The largest Anonymous account on Twitter responded to news of the shooting with a series of ominous messages and the announcement of a #OpAnonDown.

https://twitter.com/OpAnonDown/status/622496686359859200

Here is a press release from Anonymous regarding #OpAnonDown.

Anonymous Press Release: Operation Anon Down

Saturday – July 18, 2015 4:00 PM ET

At approximately 6:30 PM PT on July 17, 2015 at an Anonymous protest in Dawson Creek, British Columbia which the RCMP was informed about in advance, an RCMP officer mercilessly shot and killed a masked Anon without provocation or cause. This is the fourth Anon to be slain by security forces around the world in as many years. Turkey, Egypt, Palestine and now British Columbia in Canada. As in the past, Anonymous will not stand idly by while our own are cut down in mask. Anonymous has fought for the lives of protesters all over the globe, from Tahir Square in Egypt to Ferguson, Missouri. We will most certainly avenge one of our own when they are cut down in the streets while protesting the earth wrecking environmental policies of the Canadian government.

To this end Anonymous announces the launch of Operation Anon Down. The focus of this Op going forward will be gaining justice (and vengeance if necessary) for our fallen comrade in Dawson Creek. But we will also memorialize our previously slain brethren, and prepare to take action for future Anons killed by police – as we have no doubt they will cut down more of us.

To begin we will identify the RCMP officer involved, thoroughly dox him – and release that dox on the Internet. Because the world has a right to know every detail about killer cops. We will offer support and raise funds if necessary to cover the burial expenses of our fallen comrade. He will be buried with the honor and dignity that his courage has earned him. We will ensure that he is never forgotten, and takes his place in the growing ledger of brave Anonymous martyrs around the world. Then we will press the RCMP and Canadian government for justice. This RCMP officer must be named, fired, and charged – for the murder of our brother Anon. And if we do not receive justice, rest assured there will be revenge.

We call upon our fellow Anons in Canada to take to the streets and protest at the RCMP headquarters in every Province, every day – until our demands for justice are met. We call upon the Global Collective of Anonymous and allied crews to remove the RCMP cyber infrastructure from the Internet. March, create and sign petitions, hack, dox. We may not be able to bring back our fallen comrade, we may not even be able to prevent other Anons from being slain by murderous police – but we can sure as hell show them that there will be a steep price to pay when they kill us.

“Behind this mask there is more than flesh and blood
Behind this mask is an idea
And ideas are bullet proof”

We Are Anonymous

We Are Legion

We Are Everywhere

We Do Not Forgive

We Do Not Forget

To the murderous officers of the RCMP…it is to late to Expect Us

h/t Revolution News

Jay Syrmopoulos is an investigative journalist, free thinker, researcher, and ardent opponent of authoritarianism. He is currently a graduate student at University of Denver pursuing a masters in Global Affairs. Jay’s work has been published on BenSwann’s Truth in Media, Chris Hedges’ truth-out, AlterNet and many other sites. You can follow him on Twitter @sirmetropolis, on Facebook at Sir Metropolis and now on tsu.

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/anonymous-launches-opanondown-vow-avenge-police-killing-anon-member/