Anonymous To Disrupt Westboro Baptist Church's Plans To Picket Charleston Shooting Victims Funerals

Anonymous To Stop 'Hateful' Westboro Baptist Church From Picketing Charleston Shooting Victims' Funerals
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"Hactivist" group, Anonymous, is coordinating plans to silence the "hateful" Westboro Baptist Church who are threatening to picket the funerals of the nine people who were killed in the Charleston shootings last week.

The hate-filled "church" group, formerly led by preacher Fred Phelps and his family, are no strangers to press coverage and scrutiny.

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Anonymous are co-ordinating to stop Westboro Baptist Church from disrupting the funerals of those killed in the Charleston shootings

Westboro regularly pickets funerals of fallen American soldiers, brandishing signs such as "god hates fags" and "thank god for dead soldiers".

Now, their attention has turned to the nine people who were shot dead last Wednesday at the historically black Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, in Charleston, South Carolina in what police have called a "hate crime".

In several messages posted on Twitter the Westboro Baptist Church say that Dylann Roof, the 21-year-old who has been charged with the murders, was sent by God.

Anonymous and Westboro are no strangers to one another.

But, given Westboro's increasing threats to picket the funerals of those killed, Anonymous has posted a severe warning to the group.

In a statement posted online, the hackers list their "standard operating procedure" to "contain these morons" (Westboro).

Anonymous says: "We have used this SOP (standard operating procedure) to great effect on numerous occasions.

"It is quite likely that due to our cyber attacks and the ensuing publicity that the WBC will simply not show up at the Charleston funerals, we must nevertheless be fully prepared for them to do so.

"This preparation on the ground, in and of itself can often be the final straw that leads to them to cancelling their plans to protest the funerals.

"It is critical to keep a sharp focus on the goal for Anonymous and supporters regarding ground action against the Westboro Baptist Church. The point is NOT to counter protest these idiots.

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Shirley Phelps-Roper, left, a member of the Westboro Baptist Church, holds a protest sign outside funeral services for Sgt Daniel Sesker

"That would simply serve to disrespect the funerals even more and create havoc in the vicinity of the funerals.

"The goal is to contain these morons, and to block their hateful message in such a way as they can not be seen by those in the funeral procession or at the venue."

The group then lists details of how best to obstruct Westboro from disrupting the proceedings of the funerals.

The group says it will be sharing intelligence about the movements of Westboro protesters via the hashtag #TrackWBC and is posting successes of its cyber-attacks via the hashtag #OpShutDownWBC.

So far Westboro has not ben deterred by Anonymous' plans to stop their sabotage of the funerals and have even suggested that some of those in the Anonymous group could be one of their own.

10 Amazing Westboro Baptist Church Counter Protests
God Responds(01 of10)
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At a 2010 WBC counter protest in Portland, Oregon, one man showed up dressed as God, himself. "No I don't," his simple sign responded to the WBC's notorious "God hates ___" signs. (credit:Flickr)
Pure Love(02 of10)
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Sometimes the best way to combat hatred and intolerance is through love. The adorable "couple kiss" counter protest has been an popular and powerful way many have confronted the WBC's intolerance. (credit:Buzzfeed)
Angel Action(03 of10)
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One of the most powerful WBC counter protests was the 1999 Angel Action wall of love outside the courthouse where Matthew Shepard's accused killers were on trial. The event has been recreated over the years in the acclaimed play, The Laramie Project. (credit:The Laramie Project/Duke)
The Human Wall(04 of10)
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In July of 2012, hundreds of Texas A&M students gathered to create a human wall around the funeral service for a soldier, which the WBC had come to protest. As one organizer wrote on Facebook, "In response to their signs of hate, we will wear maroon. In response to their mob anger, we will form a line, arm in arm. This is a silent vigil. A manifestation of our solidarity." (credit:Facebook/Leslie Mott)
9-Year-Olds(05 of10)
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Nine-year-old Josef Miles and his mother, Patty Akrouche, were walking around the Washburn University campus in Topeka, Kan., in May 2012 when they saw a group of Westboro Baptist Church protesters armed with signs. Miles asked if he could make his own sign and wrote the humble, powerful words, "God hates no one." (credit:Patty Akrouche)
Grandmas Supporting Soldiers(06 of10)
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In 2008 the WBC staged a protest against the funerals of three soldiers from the HM-15 Blackhawks. Counter-protesters came out in droves to deliver a different message, including this amazing woman. (credit:Flickr)
The Foo Fighters(07 of10)
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WBC picketed a Foo Fighters concert in 2011, inspiring the band to stage their own protest across from the Westboro picketers. Dressed in overalls and wigs, the band played "Keep it Clean (Hot Buns)," which, as it turns out, is a song about the lonesome life of a gay long-haul trucker. (credit:NBC)
Style and Patriotism(08 of10)
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This photo, posted by Twitter user @yadnulsirhc, shows just how sassy, stylish and patriotic a WBC counter protest can be. (credit: yadnulsirhc/Twitter)
Motorcycles and Flags(09 of10)
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This human wall of love and patriotism came about at the same WBC counter protest in support of the Blackhawk soldiers who lost their lives. Motorcycles, American flags and endless love sounds like a much better demonstration than whatever WBC put together. (credit:Flickr)
More Human Walls(10 of10)
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In February of 2014, the WBC landed in Missouri to protest the coming out of football player Michael Sam. An estimated 2,000 students and supporters braved the snow to form a “Stand with Sam” human wall, blocking the WBC protesters' view from campus. (credit:Colin Lovett for LGBTQ Nation)