Young People Followed SOPA News More Than Election News
Tell The USTR To Stop Being A Pawn Of Hollywood Lobbyists

Bulgarian MPs Wear Anonymous/Guy Fawkes Masks To Protest ACTA

Surprises

from the good-for-them dept

Fri, Feb 3rd 2012 2:40pm — Mike Masnick
We recently pointed out that a bunch of Polish politicians wore Guy Fawkes/Anonymous masks in Parliament to protest ACTA:
It appears that some politicians in Bulgaria thought that was a good idea, and have done the same thing:
It's really quite fascinating how much of a meme this has become within politics. While some still like to pretend that Anonymous is just a bunch of vandalizing kids, it certainly seems that some of what Anonymous stands for is having a real impact. I still think that the DDoS attacks are dumb and do more harm than good, but it's quite fascinating to see the wider ideas of what Anonymous is fighting for percolate all the way up into politics around the globe.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: acta, anonymous, bulgaria, eu, guy fawkes, protests

34 Comments | Leave a Comment

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • icon
    :Lobo Santo (profile), 3 Feb 2012 @ 2:51pm

    Credit where it's due:

    Let's hear some credit for Guy Fawkes!

    --obviously the founding member of Anonymous.
    Seriously, they never did find out who he was working with...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    DMNTD, 3 Feb 2012 @ 2:56pm

    It may be this or that.

    If you want impact you have to make impact. Through action and not arm chair rioting/bitching they have created a presence for the ivory tower sitter's. Well done.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Chris From Poland, 3 Feb 2012 @ 2:56pm

    If it weren't for the DDoS Attacks, the Polish media would never have reported on ACTA, the Polish people would never have taken to the streets and ACTA would never have been questioned. Yes, DDoS is a crude blunt instrument, but sometimes one has to smack someone over the head with a hammer to make them notce something.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Rapnel (profile), 3 Feb 2012 @ 4:42pm

      Re:

      Interesting.

      The more thought I give to denial of service attacks the more I am inclined to see them as more of the natural and most effective means of short burst protest on the Internet. They are, in effect, a street riot without the street, blood and tear gas.

      If only all of DC could be targeted, but, then again, they're already denying service well enough on their own now aren't they?

      [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Feb 2012 @ 2:57pm

    Sometimes a job calls for a scalpel, but a sword will work too if you're really really lucky. That's how I feel about the DDOSes done thus far.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Robert (profile), 3 Feb 2012 @ 3:04pm

    Are they sincere?

    They don the mask, but do they believe in the cause?

    Let's not forget politicians are experts at BSing people to gain support. I know, some actually have integrity, but how do we know the Ron Paul's from the Mitt Romney's? Meaning how do we know who's legit, with integrity, and who's just spinning yarn, saying what people want to hear?

    Politicos are not stupid, they know the youth love rebellion and the best way to connect with them is to provide the image (or illusion?) of supporting what the youth support (aka: Anonymous).

    DDoS is one thing, a form of sensorship if you will, but those on the receiving end are simply being given a taste of their own medicine anyhow.

    Cohesion is better. If that takes DDoS's to do that, then so be it! We need to align ourselves with a common goal.

    We can't be natural iron ore, domains pointing in all direction. We need to be even stronger than neodymium. We need to be like an electromagnet at the scrapyard. All domains aligned, in a Hallback array, so none of our sub-collective forces repel one another.

    That's what we need more than anything!

    Too bad we can't DDoS the cable and airwaves. Imagine Synapse (movie Antitrust) broadcasting a message like that, all mobile devices, all broadcast mediums, and all websites.

    If Anonymous did that, you'd have everyone's attention (I'm certain the apathetic general population in US/Canada would certainly wake the hell up if you interrupted their favourite shows).

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Spaceboy (profile), 3 Feb 2012 @ 3:05pm

    I wonder what costs the MPAA/RIAA more - wasted lobby money or Piracy?

    Umad MPAA?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    SMobius, 3 Feb 2012 @ 3:28pm

    I wonder if Hollywood regrets Making V for Vendatta now

    It was a brilliant idea of Anonymous to adopt the guy Fawkes mask as their trademark. Hollywood had spent so much making it iconic only to see it turned into a weapon against them.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Overcast (profile), 3 Feb 2012 @ 3:28pm

    If only we had politicians like this in the US. 98% of politicians in the US are corporate owned.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Feb 2012 @ 3:33pm

    In V for Vendatta...

    The Fawkes masks was a sign of the People; those who'd lived, those who'd died, those who'd fought and those who'd resisted. I'd quote the line that Evie said at the end in response to 'who was V', but will leave that to imdb.

    I see it more fitting if it was interpretted that politicians use the masks to represent the people than to represent Anonymous. The debate whether Anon represents the people, or is more like Loki is still under debate.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      SMobius (profile), 3 Feb 2012 @ 3:54pm

      Re: In V for Vendatta...

      The Fawkes Mask is meant to be a sign of the people and should be seen as such.

      It's adoption by anonymous has reinforced it's use as a symbol of protest against authority. More an more people who do not necessarily agree with Anonymous's views are using it as such.

      I think Anonymous can take some of the credit for this trend though.

      [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Rapnel (profile), 3 Feb 2012 @ 4:57pm

      Re: In V for Vendatta...

      If the people were not anonymous then the people would not have Anonymous. Anonymous are the people. Our corporations have been and are attempting to rule and reign over the free world at the expense of the people, the anonymous.

      A politician seen donning a Fawkes mask can roughly be indicative, in so far as we've seen, as a representative of the people in the truest sense.

      You do not have to agree with Anonymous or their ways at all, however, to believe you're not a part thereof is to have played into the hands of those that are truly not anonymous - the 1% if you will.

      [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Feb 2012 @ 3:51pm

    The Internet, it's escaped its confinement!!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Squig (profile), 3 Feb 2012 @ 4:07pm

    A few days ago politicians from the Green party of Austria did the same in the session of the Bundesrat (higher chamber, representation of the Austrian Bundesländer/provinces/states).

    http://futurezone.at/netzpolitik/7227-gruene-bundesraete-protesti erten-gegen-acta.php

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Feb 2012 @ 4:07pm

    Bunch of fucking retards.

    Nothing like politicians who don't have the balls to accept defeat like adults. Kick them out!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      abc gum, 3 Feb 2012 @ 6:06pm

      Re:

      "accept defeat like adults"

      What, exactly, do you mean? Do you suggest that giving up is a trait to be admired as a mature response? There are many out there who would disagree with your assessment.

      [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 3 Feb 2012 @ 8:49pm

        Re: Re:

        Whining is not a mature response. Being babies about it and putting on masks as some sort of protest is childish. Politics is about the will of the electorate, and if the people elected a government, the government is to do their job.

        Childish protests both look stupid and demean the concept that they are trying to embrace.

        [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Al Bert (profile), 4 Feb 2012 @ 12:23am

          Re: Re: Re:

          Calling someone childish for expressing disagreement with bad politics is less than immature itself. It's simply ignorant.

          [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2012 @ 3:10am

          Re: Re: Re:

          So where exactly is the will of the electorate in ACTA?

          If I remember correctly, they were and are very specifically EXCLUDED.

          Dumbass.

          [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Marcel de Jong (profile), 4 Feb 2012 @ 5:46pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          the job their voters asked them to do? or the job corporations paid them to do?

          [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 7:35am

          Re: Re: Re:

          This AC:

          "Wah wah, these politicians are fucking retarded!

          Oh yeah, and they're childish."

          Is this a fake troll? If not, I give you an F- for undermining your own message in only two posts.

          [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 3 Feb 2012 @ 4:29pm

    Same pattern

    The Bulgarian masks seem to be the same pattern as the Polish ones. Is there a PDF of this floating around? Or are European politicians passing one among themselves?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Dude, 3 Feb 2012 @ 7:00pm

    A funny thing happened...

    ...to me this morning. I was standing outside an electronics store waiting for it to open. Another guy was waiting too, and noticed my T-shirt with a Guy Fawkes mask on it. He asked me if I was "Anonymous". I thought that was funny, so I replied in the affirmative. (I'm not in the group called Anonymous, but I wish to remain anonymous, so I wasn't really lying.) Anyway, we start talking about downloading stuff, and he tells me that he used to download a lot of music until he realized that it was "stealing" and "wrong". We sort of debated this and I asked him what he thought about the whole Megaupload thing. Get this: he didn't even know what Megaupload was! LOL!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    That Anonymous Coward (profile), 4 Feb 2012 @ 6:26pm

    I did not clone myself and take over Bulgaria.
    That is all.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Chace Torrence, 5 Feb 2012 @ 1:18pm

    Big business is stupid. They are not in our future because fossil fuels and the insanely wealthy are not. The only thing non-renewable resources should be used for are national defense, and the development of clean alternatives. The last country to have fuel will be the most defended one, and their policies will be what's written in the history books. So the sooner we ditch these morons, the better.

    Screw big business!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous, 5 Feb 2012 @ 8:14pm

    Freedom

    It doesn't cost MPAA anything really, they're all part of the same machine, they only price out their enemy - us! Don't think for one second that they're disadvantaging themselves in any way! Do not hesitate to play your part in protecting your freedom in whatever ways that role may manifest!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:48pm

    How dare those motherfuckers wear those masks?! They are corrupt as hell; why the fuck are they pretending to be the good guys? THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE WEARING THOSE MASKS AGAINST PEOPLE LIKE YOU, TRAITORS!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:55pm

    Bulgarian politicians are just as corrupt as American ones, maybe even more. TAKE OFF THE MASKS, POSERS, YOU ARE FOOLING NO ONE! YOU ARE NOT ONE OF US

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Black March Boycott 2012, 8 Feb 2012 @ 1:19pm

    Black March Boycott protest ACTA, do NOT buy Movies, Movies and Video Games for the month of March. Let the entertainment industry know how you feel and have them watch their profit margin drop.

    google it and spread the word.....boycott starts 3-1-2012

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    anon, 10 Feb 2012 @ 9:41pm

    One for everyone

    If somebody is interested, here's the masks, I just ordered one. http://amzn.to/xpdLl2

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]


Add Your Comment

Have a Techdirt Account? Sign in now. Want one? Register here



Subscribe to the Techdirt Daily newsletter




Comment Options:

  • Use markdown. Use plain text.
  • Remember name/email/url (set a cookie)

Close

Add A Reply

Have a Techdirt Account? Sign in now. Want one? Register here



Subscribe to the Techdirt Daily newsletter




Comment Options:

  • Use markdown. Use plain text.
  • Remember name/email/url (set a cookie)

Young People Followed SOPA News More Than Election News
Tell The USTR To Stop Being A Pawn Of Hollywood Lobbyists
Follow Techdirt
Special Affiliate Offer

Essential Reading
Techdirt Insider Chat
Recent Stories

Tuesday

13:30 Techdirt Podcast Episode 260: The Future Of Silicon Valley (0)
12:10 FCC Ignores The Courts, Finalizes Facts-Optional Repeal Of Net Neutrality (8)
10:41 Sacha Baron Cohen Demands Facebook Remove Conspiracies; Flips Out When Facebook Removes His Article With Conspiracy Images (8)
10:36 Daily Deal: The All-In-One Mastering Organization Bundle (0)
09:34 DHS Appears Willing To Violate Whistleblower Laws To Shut Down Leaks (12)
06:27 Facebook's Threat To NYU Researchers Is A Mistake, But It's The Inevitable Follow On To Overreaction To Cambridge Analytica (14)
03:27 CBP Is Asking The National Archives For Permission To Destroy Misconduct Records (12)

Monday

20:25 2K Sports Could Have Avoided Its Un-Skippable Ads Backlash If The Ads Were Better Content (43)
15:37 Join The Fan Fiction Deep State And Watch This Latest Video That Addison Cain Really Doesn't Want You To See (34)
13:34 Twitch's Freak Out Response To RIAA Takedown Demands Raises Even More DMCA Questions (36)
More arrow

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.