Anonymous declares war on Minneapolis Police in wake of George Floyd's death, vows to expose their 'many crimes'
Following the tragic death of George Floyd, hacktivist group Anonymous has pledged to expose Minneapolis police department's "many crimes to the world." The death of Floyd, an unarmed black father-of-two who died after being pinned to the ground by Officer Derek Chauvin, has sparked nationwide outrage with violent protests surging as far as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta.
A masked narrator is seen in Anonymous's latest video condemning the department's reputation for police brutality, adding that the defenseless 46-year-old's death is "merely the tip of the iceberg." "This travesty has gone on far too long, and now the people have had enough," they said.
The alleged Anonymous member noted that in this particular case, the "blatant disregard for human life exhibited by officers is undeniable," considering evidence pertaining to the incident shows that Floyd complied with all of the officers' demands.
"Officers who kill people and commit other crimes need to be held accountable just like the rest of us. Otherwise, they will believe that they have a license to do whatever they want," the narrator began. "People have had enough of this corruption and violence from an organization that promises to keep them safe."
They continued: "After the events of the past few years, many people are beginning to learn that you are not here to save us but rather you are here to oppress us and carry out the will of the criminal ruling class. You are here to keep order for the people in control, not to provide safety for the people who are controlled. In fact, you are the very mechanism that elites use to continue their global system of oppression."
According to the hackers, 193 people have died at the hands of the Minneapolis police force in the past two decades. Some of the high profile deaths they listed are Jamar Clarke, Philando Castile, Justine Diamond, Thurman Blevins, and Brian Quinones. "In the vast majority of police killings, the only one left alive to tell the story is the officer who took the person’s life… and thus the cycle is able to continue because none of these murderers ever face any justice for their actions," the masked person added. "These officers must face criminal charges and officer Chauvin especially should face murder charges. Unfortunately, we do not trust your corrupt organization to carry out justice so will be exposing your many crimes to the world."
The Minneapolis Police Department's website was taken down, presumably by the hackers, shortly after the video started making rounds of the internet. In conclusion, the group reiterated their signature message: "We are legion. Expect us."
Many have wondered about the meaning behind the cryptic message, which Anonymous often uses when taking responsibility for a hack. In fact, the phrase "We Are Legion" is actually a quote from the Christian New Testament gospels of Matthew (8:28-34) - and one with some rather sinister implications.
In King James' version of the Bible, Jesus comes across a man possessed by a demon and asks him "what is thy name." The verses continue, "And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many." The phrase is interpreted to mean that several demons in the possessed man were working as one entity - befittingly describing the vigilante group that works independently to pursue their various targets while falling together under a common mission.