The hacker group Anonymous threatened to target the San Francisco Bay Area’s transit website after officials cut the system’s underground cellphone service to prevent a protest last week. The suspension echoes the Egyptian government’s blocking of cellphone and Internet services during the anti-Mubarak protests this spring.

Last week’s protest was intended to oppose a fatal shooting by BART police officers in early July. Anonymous called for an additional nonviolent demonstration to protest the suspension of service Monday night. –ARK

SFGate:

An international group of hackers threatened Saturday to wage a cyberwar against BART in retaliation for the agency’s decision to cut cell phone service to prevent a separate protest last week.

… On Thursday, BART switched off the transit system’s underground cell phone network in downtown San Francisco after it learned that individuals were planning to use mobile devices to coordinate a protest. The people were protesting a July 3 fatal shooting by BART police.

… “I am shocked that BART thinks they can use authoritarian control tactics,” [state Sen. Leland] Yee … said in a statement Saturday. “BART’s decision was not only a gross violation of free speech rights; it was irresponsible and compromised public safety.”

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