Anonymous and LulzSec Respond to Arrests of Alleged Hacktivists

On Tuesday, July 19, 2011, 14 people were arrested in connection with hacking attacks against PayPal after the company froze WikiLeaks funds and cut off the services for which they had been contracted by the international, award winning, journalism outlet. After intense pressure from governments, individual politicians, financial institutions, and corporate entities whose nefarious activities were threatened by the transparency created through WikiLeaks reporting, PayPal engaged in a financial siege against the journalists at WikiLeaks in order to aid in the protection of the unethical, and possibly illegal, secrets of governments, corporations, and banks.

This assault on freedom of speech and access to information generated a reaction from activists around the globe unwilling to accept this attack on the freedom of the press by governmental and corporate institutions. From the establishment of alternative conduits for funding for WikiLeaks, to assistance in the dissemination of WikiLeaks files through mirror sites and P2P exchanges, a global movement emerged to support the free flow of information made available through WikiLeaks.

In response to this assault on the people of the world, a number of activists felt the need to defend their right to access information regarding the actions that their governments take in the name of their citizenry, supposedly under the authority of the citizenry, and with the citizenry’s money. Many activists also recognized the need to protect themselves, and others, against the ongoing machinations of global corporate and financial institutions who had only recently taken, and continue to take, the global economy to the brink of collapse in order to generate profit and facilitate the accumulation of wealth and control in the hands of a very few.

Enter Anonymous and Lulzsec; a global network of digital ninjas that have dared to defy the power structures created by the global elite. The direct assault on democracy, and the rights of the citizens of this planet, by an authoritarian minority, was declared unacceptable and subsequent steps were taken to counter the oppressive censorship imposed by what seems to be a global, tyrannical regime.

In the same manner that humiliating smack-downs have been recently visited on Sony, HBGary Federal Security, The Times UK, and The Sun UK, among others; for their role in attempting to subvert the free flow of information, aid in the censorship of the free press, and violate the rights of the citizens of this planet, PayPal’s website was successfully interrupted. As a result, government agencies and law enforcement officials have been employed in order to attempt to reestablish control over the people and exert their ability to filter information to the general population.

To this end, a great deal of resources and manpower are being expended in order to try and catch water with a sieve. The protection against the exposure of governmental secrecy, financial malfeasance, and corporate subversion of democracy has become a paramount concern for global power brokers. Internet monitoring, telephone tapping, email snooping, and the general violation of all personal privacy has been employed in order to protect the privacy and secrecy of the self-appointed ruling class.

As the battle rages on, and blows are exchanged, Anonymous and Lulz Security continue to grow both in the general support they receive, as well as their effectiveness. These most recent arrests are the latest desperate attempt to curb an ongoing campaign that seems not only unfazed by this abuse of power, but rather draws strength from it.

The following statement was released early this morning in response to FBI arrests of alleged ‘hacktivists’ and is, reportedly, a joint statement from Anonymous and Lulz Security (LulzSec). Enjoy.