A group associated with the hacker community Anonymous claims to have taken down Chicago's police department website, and authorities are investigating whether the city of Chicago website was hit as well.
As of about 11:10 a.m., the Chicago Police Department website, cityofchicago.org/police, was down along with Chicago's city website, cityofcity.org. The sites were back up just before 1 p.m.
Chicago Police News Affairs said they weren't aware the sites weren't working as usual, but Supt. Garry McCarthy confirmed to reporters at noon the sites were indeed down.
Chicago's Office of Emergency Management site, hosted on the city of Chicago site, also would not load and shortly after also went down.
In the video statement posted online, the group AntiS3curityOPS claimed they are "actively engaged in actions against the Chicago Police Department."
Officials say they continue to investigate.
Greetings fellow citizens of the world, we are AntiS3curityOPS. While this has come to no surprise, the NATO protests are already reaching a boiling point. As tonight we have already witnessed the Chicago Police Dept sending out a request for two water cannons deployed on Michigan Avenue, which the protesters briefly were able to close of the street completely. Just a few moments ago we witnessed cops on horses seemingly all too content with the destiny that has turned their hearts cold, trampling over protesters trying to intimidate. And you know what we saw during this? Protesters locking arms and holding their ground. A few had Anonymous masks’ on, a few were girls who looked like they belonged safely off on the sidelines bravely charging cops with shields and on horse. All the while the protesters are chanting “Take those animals off those horses”, drowning out any attempts by the Chicago police to get a word in. Everyone of you are hero’s to us.
We are actively engaged in actions against the Chicago Police Deptartment, and encourage anyone to take up the cause and use the AntiS3curityOPS Anonymous banner. For those able, chicagopolice.org should be fired upon as much as possible. We are in your harbor Chicago, and you will not forget us.
