Another BART Protest Coming Monday: Anonymous

Hactivist Anonymous plans the next protest at Civic Center Station downtown San Francisco from 5 p.m. Monday, which is the same place and station as the last demonstration.

OpBART, the name of the Anonymous campaign, will keep bringing pressure to bear on BART until the transit agency apologizes publicly for disrupting cell phone service to quell the demonstration on Aug. 11 and fire the BART chief spokesman, who defended the disruption and criticized Anonymous' protest.

The warning is posted on BART Web site that BART may need to close some stations temporarily or make other service adjustments on short notice because protesters may attempt to disrupt BART service during the afternoon commute period on Mon., Aug. 22 in downtown San Francisco BART stations. The officials have advised the passengers to find out their alternative transportation plans in advance.

The demonstration stems from the death of Charles Blair Hill, a homeless, who was shot to death on July 3 on the Civic Center Station platform, after he threw a bottle at the police and then approached a BART officer and displayed a weapon.

The outraged people have protested the fatal shooting by stopping trains in the BART station for multiple time in different ways. Because they organized the demonstrations with smartphone and text messages, the BART officers disrupted the cell phone service on Aug. 11, which in turn stirred more criticism and attack.

On Aug. 14, Anonymous hacked the BART Web site, leaking 2,001 names of users as well as their passwords. The addresses and phone numbers of BART users were also released.

On Aug. 17, the group hacked into the BART police website in San Francisco, publishing 102 police officers' personal information, including their home addresses and email accounts and passwords.

The last protest was held last Monday evening. Anonymous had organized the protest at BART station, leading to closure of four station in downtown San Francisco in the rush-hour.