Joe Raedle/ Getty Images.
The nation is on edge in anticipation of the grand jury decision soon in the case of Ferguson policer officer Darren Wilson, accused of shooting unarmed teenager Michael Brown.
In Ferguson, there have been a wide range of demonstrations, some involving local demonstrators from civic organizations, others by new, less defined groups. On Sunday a new and somewhat unusual group of demonstrators took to the streets of St. Louis, blocking a major intersection in protest, reports the Huffington Post. The protestors drew colored chalk outlines of their bodies in the middle of a city street and then lay down in them, as if they were murder victims. The performance-art protest piece was called a “die-in.”
The shooting of Michael Brown 100 days ago has led to widespread calls for justice for the teenager, a review of police conduct, and an end to the controversial practice of racial profiling. Even local illustrator Mary Engelbreit, creator of popular if inoffensive Hallmark card–style cartoon imagery, chose to voice her objections (see: “Beloved Illustrator Blasted by Fans Over Ferguson Artwork“).
The “die-in” left behind a rainbow of body outlines, somewhat resembling Keith Haring’s urban graffiti. It’s a good time to draw comparisons to the artist, as there is currently renewed market and museum interest in his work. An exhibition of his work, “Keith Haring: The Political Line,” just opened at the de Young Museum and will runs through February 16, 2015.
Justice-seekers aren’t only taking to the streets. Cyberwarfare broke out over the weekend when hacker-activists Anonymous announced their takeover of two Twitter accounts belonging to the Ku Klux Klan. The active hate group had threatened “lethal force” against any Ferguson protesters in the aftermath of the grand jury decision.
Besides taking over the active Twitter accounts, @KuKluxKlanUSA and @YourKKKcentralo Anonymous also released personal information on members of the group in the Missouri area.
Anonymous Australia released a video announcing their campaign against the racist organization. The transcript reads:
KKK it has came to our unfortunate attention that you have been interfering with Anonymous.
We are not attacking you because of what you believe in as we fight for freedom of speech…
We are attacking you because of what you did to our brothers and sisters at the Ferguson protest on the 12th of November.
Due to your actions we have started Operation KKK. The aim of our operation is nothing more than Cyber Warfare. Anything you upload will be taken down, anything you use to promote the KKK will be shut down.
DDos attacks have already been sent and have infiltrated your servers over the past 2 days… d0x’s have also been launched on leaders of the KKK. All information retrieved will be given to the public.
You messed with our family and now we will mess with yours…
Let the cyber war begin.
We are legion.
We do not forgive
We do not forget
Ku Klux Klan you should have expect us.
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