It seemed obvious that someone was coordinating the national crackdown on occupations, but I always figured it was the FBI or the Department of Homeland Security. The revelation of the truth – that a non-governmental organization called the Police Executive Research Forum has been hosting calls between mayors and providing advice based on anti-protest tactics from the last twenty years – is even more disturbing. PERF issued a hasty and unconvincing denial, but it was too late. A group of anonymous hackers aligned with the occupations were already on the attack, shutting down the Forum’s site with a Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack and publishing the Chief Executive’s personal information online.

It’s the vengeance of the internet, and by now you have to agree with the anons: they should have expected it. After their early association with Occupy Wall Street, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that anons would punish PERF. For the first time, hackers are playing an organized political role, imposing a little bit of their collective will upon the world. It’s a fantasy that’s existed at least as long as the internet: that the connection of people with superior technical knowledge could result in a reverse-Galt, a mutually accountable hoisting of the world onto their shoulders. Now these kids (arrested anons range in age from 15 to 26) are political actors. Hack the planet.

All of which begs the question: what the hell took so long? Why now, when the internet security apparatus has never been stronger, when nation states and corporations alike are fully aware of its vital importance? Why didn’t this happen twenty-five years ago, before they had time to prepare?