Presentation: Project Chanology

Project Chanology is a widespread protest of the Church of Scientology by Anonymous, an internet collective based on 4chan. The protest is a spontaneous, loosely organized event that occurs outside various Scientology churches. The events are coordinated on the website 4chan through simple discussion and announcements of places and times for the protests. Protestors arrive wearing signature Guy Fawkes masks and hold signs with memes and catchphrases in protest of the church. The masks serve an additional purpose in protection from legal complaints by the Church.

Protests typically question the status of the Church of Scientology as a religion instead of a corporation and the ethics of information control. The latter is their primary grievance, as the Church of Scientology has a long history of controlling critical information about the organization in both video and textual information online and in print. Anonymous insists that information be free and accessible to all. Anonymous also engages in frequent denial of service attacks on Scientology websites. They also “bump” information and links about unethical Scientology behavior on Digg.com and in google results.

The following video outlines some of their rules to follow when protesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-063clxiB8I

http://www.anonymousresources.com/protesting

Protest Guidelines

Be aware that you are taking a risk by protesting. Note a huge risk - this isn't the Mafia, after all - but the danger is real. In the past, protesters have been followed, harassed, or assaulted. Scientology is dangerous; that's why we're protesting. But have a little courage, and follow these guidelines, and you'll be fine.
Stay calm. Don't let yourself be baited into anger. Just relax. You have nothing to gain by screaming, and everything to gain by staying calm.
Cover your face. A Guy Fawkes mask is preferred (see section below on masks) but the important thing is just to conceal your identity. We're called Anonymous for a reason.
Cooperate with law enforcement and city officials. If you're new, someone else will probably be notifying city officials of the protest, you don't need to worry about that. But if a police officer tells you to do something, comply as best you can. Anonymous has a good relationship with law enforcement as a general rule; let's keep it that way.
No violence or weapons. This goes for fake weapons too.
Don't do anything stupid. This includes drinking alcohol (before or during), violence, vandalism, obscenities, hate speech, messing with cops, and going into the Scientology building.
Never be alone. Strength in numbers.
Think about what you'll wear. Generally there is no dress code for protests, but dressing more formally (as in a suit and tie) does make the public - and Scientologists - take you more seriously. Also consider bringing a change of clothes so as to throw off pursuit once the protest ends.
Bring water.
Know how to contact law enforcement if necessary. For many protests, police officers will be standing nearby. It's also a good idea to have the local police on speed-dial.
When you leave, watch for pursuit. Scientologists do sometimes follow protesters back to their cars. If you think you are being followed, do not go to your car. Notify law enforcement.

From the Encyclopedia Dramatica:

Anonymous is devoid of humanity, morality, pity, and mercy.

Anonymous works as one, because none of us are as cruel as all of us.

Anonymous cannot be harmed, no matter how many Anonymous may fall in battle.

Anonymous doesn't fall in battle, anyway.

Anonymous only undertakes Serious Business.

Anonymous is everyone

Anonymous is everywhere.

Anonymous cannot be out-numbered.

Anonymous is a hydra, constantly moving, constantly changing. Remove one head, and nine replace it.

Anonymous reinforces its ranks exponentially at need.

Anonymous has no weakness or flaw.

Anonymous exploits all weaknesses and flaws.

Anonymous doesn't have a family or friends.

Anonymous is your family and friends.

Anonymous is not your friend.

Anonymous is not your personal army.

Anonymous is in control at all times.

Anonymous does not accept failure, Anonymous delivers.

Anonymous has no identity.

Anonymous cannot be betrayed.

Anonymous does it for the lulz.

Anonymous is humanity.

Anonymous are created as equals.

Anonymous is a choice.

Anonymous is an unstoppable force.

If Anonymous must have a name, his name is David.

Anonymous obeys the Code.

Anonymous is Legion.

Anonymous does not forgive.

Anonymous does not forget.

Also:

Anonymous, in addition to being responsible for 85% of all quotes ever made, is the source of 91% of all internet truth and justice and 32.33, repeating of course, daily dosage of Vitamin /b/. Anonymous is void of human restraints, such as pity and mercy. Those who perform reckless actions or oppose Anonymous will be eliminated. Failure is not tolerated. Enemies are to be dealt with swiftly and efficiently. Anonymous must work as one. No single Anonymous knows everything. Anonymous is everyone and noone. You are. I am. Everyone is. Anonymous is humanity when the gloves come off.

Anonymous is not a person, nor is it a group, movement or cause: Anonymous is a collective of people with too much time on their hands, a commune of human thought and useless imagery. A gathering of sheep and fools, assholes and trolls, and normal everyday netizens. An anonymous collective, left to its own devices, quickly builds its own society out of rage and hate. Anonymous can be anyone from well-meaning college kids with highly idiosyncratic senses of humor trying to save people from Scientology, to devious nihilist hackers, to thirteen year old boys who speak entirely in in-jokes on an endless quest for porn.

Anonymous is not so much unlike other web communities, it has in-jokes, culture, extended debates, etc, just like everyone else. Well, anyone stupid enough to join a web community. The difference, and the reason they visit other communities is that Anonymous have a need to be harassed by "nannying" moderators. They hate being denied late night sleepovers. Here, there isn't anyone to do that - yet long and productive edit wars spring up at about the rate you'd never tolerate elsewhere, on topics you'd never believe. They have no leader, no pretentious douchebag president or group thereof to set in stone what Anonymous is and is not about. This makes them impossible to control or organize. Not really a collective at all - more like a stampede of coked-up lemmings. They don't dare to lead for will but rather break the "bridge" instead. And since it's all made out of Legos, fuck it.

Starting as an in-joke itself, "Anonymous" is the name assigned to a poster who does not enter text in the [Name] field on chan imageboards. Anonymous is not a single person, but rather, represents the collective whole of the internet.

As individuals, they can be intelligent, rational, emotional and empathetic. As a mass, a group, they are devoid of humanity and mercy. Never before in the history of humanity has there once been such a morass, a terrible network of the peer-pressure that forces people to become one, become evil. Welcome to the soulless mass of blunt immorality known only as the Internet.

Anonymous are the Monsters from the Id.