Despite losing access to over 70,000 members Twitter account, Operation Ferguson team resurrects itself, hoping you’ll follow
The original members of the online phenomenon ‘Anonymous Operation Ferguson’ have honourably chosen to reinvent themselves on social media after a senior member amongst their midst decided to dismiss the entire team and take control of their iconic Twitter account.
Anonymous Operation Ferguson was set up within just 24 hours of the killing of Mike Brown at the hands of police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri on the 9th of August last year. The tragedy triggered a wave of protests over institutional racism within the police force that continues to grow as more incidents – such as the killings of Sandra Bland in Texas and Freddie Gray in Baltimore – happen to sadly occur. Anonymous Operation Ferguson aims to bring justice to the death of Mike Brown by fighting for racial equality and the termination of institutional racism within the United States.
Operation Ferguson is not simply just a Twitter account, the movement encompasses an entire internet platform which can be found at www.OperationFerguson.cf and even includes their own e-mail server. The platform is run by several dedicated activists: two ‘seasoned’ activists, two activists from the St. Louis area and the daughter of Eric Garner, the man who tragically died after a police officer held him in a ‘chokehold’ whilst attempting to arrest him in Staten Island, New York. This group of activists advocates their cohesion and sense of being ‘A TEAM’, indeed in their own words, ‘Op Ferguson’s failures and its successes are entirely our own. We have always done our best for the Op’. This sense of camaraderie is wholly respectable which makes the betrayal of their senior member seem all the more despicable.
The group told us that just a few days ago, this senior member decided to fire every single one of them and seize control of the Twitter account (@OpFerguson) which has over 70,000 followers. After suffering this act of indecency, the group decided to consult with their original members and protesters on the ground in Ferguson and concluded that the courageous thing to do would be to continue their efforts, thus creating a new Twitter account: @OpFerguson2015.
The collective acknowledges that ‘The unfortunate loss of a single social media account will not deter us from our steadfast support of the Ferguson protesters and justice for Mike Brown’ and thus bravely decides to soldier on with the certainty that their true followers will join them in the fight.
On a final note, the group has expressed to its followers to judge whether they want to heed the words of the original account – which to them is no longer ‘original’ but ‘stolen’ through an act of ‘despicable treachery’ – or choose to follow them now, the truly original members, in their struggle towards gaining justice for Mike Brown and equality for all black Americans. The choice is yours.
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Emilie Cunning
Emilie is a university student who is keenly interested in the political world and believes that the current state of political apathy in Britain today must be reversed. Emilie's particular areas of interests in politics are American politics, British politics, Environmental politics and the role the English language can play within politics. Emilie would describe her political views as liberal.
