Anonymous' KKK list reveals little new information

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The hacker group Anonymous released a long list of alleged Ku Klux Klan members with links to their social media sites, many of whom are known white supremacists and at least one person not Klan related.

Anonymous said the list of some 1,600 names was "a form of resistance" against the racist group and collected over 11 months through sources that include "multimedia, academic records and public data." The Pastebin document was distributed via Twitter.

Mark Pitcavage, director of the Center on Extremism at the Anti-Defamation League, said there are few revelations in the list. He said many of those on the list have no relation to the Klan and others are known white supremacists, including David Duke and Don Black. Another person on the list, political cartoonist Benjamin Garrison, is not related to the Klan. Some 200 names on the list are aliases.

"Many names are not Klan related," he said. "The list also contains some errors and at least one person who is not a white supremacist."

A separate list posted online earlier this week incorrectly identified several U.S. lawmakers as having KKK affiliations. Anonymous quickly dismissed it as a fake.

The release of the list Thursday coincided with Anonymous' Million Mask March in London and other cities across the globe, which was also the annual Bonfire Night.

Bonfire Night commemorates the execution of Guy Fawkes, the Roman Catholic terrorist who attempted to blow up British Parliament and assassinate the king in the 17th century. Many protesters wore Guy Fawkes masks.

The Million Mask March protested government surveillance and corporate greed, something Anonymous has largely fought against since its inception -- the hacker group has often used Fawkes masks in its imagery.

November 4th 2015 #OpKKK Tweetstorm https://t.co/qkjzhqCiXe

November 5th 2015 #HoodsOff Bulk Data Release pic.twitter.com/KmNR3uwq2W

— Operation KKK (@Operation_KKK) November 2, 2015