Activists shut down 4 San Francisco transit stations after Anonymous protests

A protest incited by hacker group Anonymous shut down San Francisco BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train stations today.

Photo gallery and video of the event below.

The protest was intended to bring attention to complaints of censorship and police brutality, especially the recent shutdown of cell phone service during other protests planned for last Thursday. It is unclear whether cell service was shut off during today’s gatherings.

Anonymous hacked official BART website myBart.org on Sunday, defacing the site and calling for San Franciscans to meet at Civic Center to protest. The request drew a few hundred people, whose nomadic rally shut down Civic Center, Powell Street, Montgomery and Embarcadero BART stations. The hack also included a leak of myBart.org users’ names and other identifiable personal information.

But it seemed Anonymous supporters were equally mixed with those independently angered by the cellular shutdown and police brutality.

“Basically, when people were trying to protest against [Egyptian dictator] Hosni Mubarak and his regime, we were appalled at the fact that he flipped the switch on communications,” a protester who gave her name only as Anastasia told VentureBeat. “And the fact that it happened here and American citizens are mad that we’re down here protesting because they’re going to get home late an hour… it’s ridiculous.”

When we asked Anastasia if she agreed with Anonymous’ mission, however, she said, “Probably not, probably not. I understand that they leaked citizens e-mail addresses or something, but that’s about it.”

Soon after we chatted with Anastasia, protesters blocked a train door, preventing anyone from entering or exiting the train. At the helm of the group was a woman wearing a shirt splattered in red, as requested by Anonymous yesterday. Police in riot masks peaceably separated the group from the train and shut the station down. Both police and protesters kept to what Anonymous hoped would be a violence-free protest.

After clearing the train from the station, BART police declared the protest unlawful and stated that anyone who remained would be arrested.

The group took to the streets.

On the way out of the Civic Center BART station, we caught up with a man dressed in red with a gauze scarf around his face.

He said, “I came because I believe that it is wrong to censor us. I watch information about Anonymous on the Internet, and it nearly brought a tear to my eye. I was so proud to be an American. There are people standing up and fighting for what they believe in.”

When we asked how we could attribute his words to, he laughed and replied, “Anonymous.”

By this time the group had reached Powell Street station, which was promptly shut down. One police officer yelled, “Here they come!”

Another woman, angered by the inconvenience yelled, “The hell with their First Amendment rights!”

Not everyone was as informed as the gauzy “Anonymous” protester, however. One man admitted he didn’t know what the protest was about, he simply saw it and joined it. He was one of the loudest protesters.

The group picked up in size as they walked toward the Embarcadero, hitting up each quickly closed BART station along the way. A man named Michael wearing a Guy Fawkes mask joined the group at Powell and explained his interest in the protest.

“I’ve heard of [Anonymous], and I came out here because of them but also because of BART police shooting black people,” Michael said (pictured left). “Also, they shouldn’t be shutting off the cell phones; we’re in America. I’m glad that Anonymous is out here, because anybody can be Anonymous, and it’s going to shake the system up a little bit, which is what it needs.”

Protesters walked all the way to San Francisco’s historic Ferry Building, where they weaved in and out hallways and between stores. The group yelled, “They can’t shoot us all!” and “BART police: murderers!” One silent man held up a notebook with “Anonymous” written on it as his sign of rebellion.

Police successfully herded protesters away and back up the street opposite the building.

As for the hacker group itself, Anonymous tweeted “Anonymous 1 – BART 0” from its @YourAnonNews Twitter handle. The group’s mission is centered around abolishing censorship and corrupt government. This is the first time its protests have been taken offline and materialized in real life.

Pictures of the protest below:

Above: Protesters made their way from Civic Center BART station toward the Ferry Building

Above: Some protested separate from Anonymous

Above: Protesters cut out hearts that read, "BART stop killing us."

Above: One protester held his phone to his ear singing, "Can you hear me now?"

Above: BART police declare the protest unlawful.

Above: After closing the Civic Center BART station, protesters took to the streets yelling, "Disband BART cops!"

Above: Protester in a Guy Fawkes mask.

Above: "Blood stained" shirt

Above: BART police on motorcycle headed toward the Ferry Building

Above: More masked protesters

Photos by Meghan Kelly, VentureBeat