Anonymous targets Orlando city web sites over anti-homeless law

Orlando, Florida is perhaps only well known abroad because the city is the home of the Disney World theme park and other Disney-themed and Universal Studio resorts. The hacking arm of Anonymous has taken notice of the city for a different reason: a new city law that requires any homeless advocacy organization to acquire a permit before feeding the homeless in a public space, and limits those groups to two permits per year per public space.

The city says the law is in response to complaints from citizens and businesses who were disturbed or inconvenienced by the presence of homeless in the parks and public places, especially when the advocacy group Orlando Food Not Bombs sets up to feed the homeless twice a week in one of the city’s largest parks.

Since the ordinance passed, Orlando police have arrested 25 volunteers for feeding the homeless without a permit, and Anonymous has been incensed over the matter. They said in a statement that the group believes that people “have the right to organize,” and help others through kindness and compassion.

They then admonished Orlando police and city officials for lacking those same beliefs, and promised to keep up the attacks unless city police stopped arresting volunteers. The group offered a “cease fire” if no workers were arrested on Wednesday, but police made two arrests on the same day, so Anonymous continued defacing and DDoS-ing Orlando city websites in retaliation.