Just days after threatening to reveal the identities of 1,000 Ku Klux Klan members, the online hacktivist group Anonymous has followed through, publishing the phone numbers and emails of 80 alleged members.
The Huffington Post reports that the hackers tapped into KKK social media accounts and obtained the contact info for its members, though many people say that the information is not verified. The collective says that yesterday’s hack was only the first—they will be unhooding 1,000 more members on Thursday.
“We’ve gained access to yet another KKK Twitter account,” Anonymous tweeted. “Using the info obtained, we will be revealing about 1,000 Klan member identities.”
Anonymous Hackers Threaten to Reveal Identities of 1,000 Ku Klux Klan Members
Shortly before Anonymous revealed the names, an unaffiliated group of hackers identified as Amped Attacks exposed a handful of mayors and politicians who have alleged ties to the hate group, though many of the politicos’ camps have denied the allegations.
There has been an ongoing war between Anonymous and the Ku Klux Klan since last November, when the KKK threatened to use force against the Ferguson protestors. Anonymous called the group terrorists and said their hatred shouldn’t be construed as a form of free speech.
“You’ve had blood on your hands for nearly 200 years,” Anonymous wrote in a blog post. “You continue to inflict civil rights violations, commit violent crimes and solicit others to commit violent criminal acts.”