‘Anonymous’ hackers knock Iran state websites offline amid nationwide protests

Hackers taking part in #OpIran say they ‘will not keep the Iranian government alive on the internet’

A demonstrator waves an ‘Anonymous’ hacking group flag during a protest in London on 2 April, 2022 (Getty Images)

Anonymous has said it was behind cyber attacks that knocked Iranian government websites offline, claiming that it was part of the hacking collective’s support for protests against the death of Mahsa Amini.

The 22-year-old woman died while being held in custody by the morality police for allegedly violating the strict Islamic dress code in Iran by wearing her headscarf too loosely, prompting women across the country to remove, or even burn, their mandatory headscarves.

In a message posted to Anonymous-affiliated social media channels on Tuesday, the hacking group said Amini’s death was the “last straw” and that it had launched #OpIran against the Iranian state.