Anonymous Threatens to Attack Toronto's Internet in Support of Occupy Demonstrators

Hacker group Anonymous recently threatened to "remove" Toronto from the Internet when police officials there attempted to interrupt protests taking place in the city. Part of the global Occupy movement, the Occupy Toronto demonstrations have lasted for about a month. However, yesterday, when Toronto mayor Rob Ford voiced plans to end the protests and to "move on," Anonymous stated it would cut off the city's Internet through its usual DDoS tactic of flooding servers with hits. In a video released this weekend by Anonymous, the hackers responded to the proposed shutdown of Occupy Toronto:

The brave citizens of Toronto are peaceful and well mannered occupiers, and we will not let the city . . . get involved. ... You [Rob Ford] have said that by next week, the occupiers shall be removed and we say by next week, if you do not change your mind, you shall be removed from the internet.

According to The National Post, Toronto city officials are taking the threats seriously. Ford commented that the city's IT office has secured Toronto's servers. More details about the precautions the city is taking is not currently available, however. Despite the threat, the city plans to move ahead with its plans to evict the occupiers out of St. James Park where they are currently stationed. Said Ford in a statement to The Toronto Sun: “It is illegal what they are doing, right, so I can’t condone illegal behaviour.”