#opbart-2

(An anonymous protestor holds a sign during a BART protest at the Civic Center station in San Francisco, Calif., Monday, August 29, 2011. Photo: Sarah Rice / Special to The Chronicle)

"(08-29) 20:58 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- In a demonstration against BART police that is becoming a Monday ritual, several dozen protesters marched from station to station in downtown San Francisco, creating commotion but not prompting the service disruptions that irritated commuters in past weeks.

The rally reached a pitch at 6:30 p.m. on the concourse level of Embarcadero Station, when police arrested two men, including a protest leader who had briefly entered the fare gates with a bullhorn. According to BART, demonstrating inside those gates is illegal.

However, protesters largely heeded the pleas of organizers affiliated with Anonymous, the loose-knit group behind the recent protests. Concerned about dwindling public support, Anonymous asked people to take a less-disruptive approach than during previous protests by staying off underground train platforms and out of busy Market Street's traffic lanes.

At Embarcadero Station, protesters gathered around fare gates, inadvertently blocking them, before police forcefully moved them out of the way. Along Market Street, a line of San Francisco officers in riot gear created a buffer, keeping protesters on the sidewalk as they chanted, "No justice, no peace, disband the BART police."

The rally, which began at 5 p.m., was over by 8, allowing a massive police and media contingent to disperse as well. BART officials identified the two men who were arrested as Christopher Cantor, a 35-year-old protest leader from Oakland who goes by the name Krystof Lopaur, and Christian Ream, 27, of San Francisco.

In person and on Twitter, their preferred mode of communication, protesters advised that the actions would continue.

"We want to see changes, and BART needs to change its policies. Until we see a result, there's no reason to stop protesting," said Mario Fernandez, 27, of Oakland.

Monday's demonstration followed another day of online organizing - and soul-searching - for protesters who are upset about a BART police officer's fatal shooting of a transient July 3 at Civic Center Station, allegedly as the man wound up to throw a knife. They are also angry about the agency's decision Aug. 11 to shut down underground wireless service to thwart a planned protest.

A message distributed by Anonymous organizers Monday expressed concern about how the protests are being received by the public, particularly BART commuters. The communique suggested an activist group in the throes of a mid-strife crisis.

Issuing instructions

The message told demonstrators to gather outside Civic Center Station at 5 p.m., beyond the fare gates, and pass out flyers that list demands including the disarming of BART police officers.

"Stay there, don't start randomly marching up and down the streets," the message read. "This in no way impedes the function of the station itself, and ensures that the public cannot reasonably see us as 'the protesters who kept me from getting home.' "

Later, as protesters descended into the Powell, Montgomery and Embarcadero stations, supporters posted Twitter messages urging them to remain peaceful and stay off the platform. One organizer who goes by the name AnonyOps wrote, "DO NOT BLOCK GATES!"

During the previous rally on Aug. 22, BART periodically closed the Civic Center and Powell Street stations. Several dozen protesters marched in the lanes of Market Street, affecting bus and car traffic, until San Francisco police made mass arrests.

Although the protests have been organized by Anonymous - which is known for its support of free speech and attacking foes through computer hacking - the demonstrations have drawn a variety of people who are not necessarily united. The actions have been mostly nonviolent, but some protesters have sought to ratchet up their intensity.

The message distributed by Anonymous said protesters should focus on "police brutality first, and everything else second. Leaping from topic to topic does nothing but confuse those not involved with the operation. ... The popular narrative already shifted to 'hipsters mad about cell reception,' and we absolutely must shift it back to the issue of police brutality, and fast."

Sweating the details

The heavy online discussion about the BART protests - and the prospect of counterprotests by commuters - went beyond strategy on Monday. In some forums, every detail of the debate was explored.

When Jason Legate, 30, of Walnut Creek posted messages on a Facebook page titled "Commuters Take Back BART," a blogger pointed out that he worked for Palantir Technologies of Palo Alto.

Earlier this year, the data analysis firm was linked to a proposal to undermine supporters of WikiLeaks and foes of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce through a high-tech dirty-tricks campaign. Details of the proposal were leaked by Anonymous.

At Civic Center Station tonight, Legate said he no longer works for Palantir Technologies and showed up mostly to take photographs.

"The paranoia is rampant on that side," he said. "They apparently thought the counterprotest had to be organized by someone other than riders. But I'm just a pissed-off rider."

"San Francisco police have arrested a few demonstrators inside a BART station who were among a group of about 75 protesters marching from station to station in the city's downtown.

Still, the evening transit commute in San Francisco was running smoothly.

Acknowledging that disruptive protests have recently angered commuters, demonstrators on Monday decided to stay away from the BART system's train platforms, where protests are barred for safety reasons.

The protesters arrested Monday were not on the platform, but above in the station.

Demonstrators are protesting the July 3 shooting death by BART police of a transient and transit officials shutting off wireless access at its San Francisco stations to quell a planned protest Aug. 11."

It seems there is a counter-protest in the works for OpBART-3 August 29th 2011. One of the main supporters, possibly founder of the group, Jason Legate claims to be working for Palantir Technologies which some Anons might remember as being linked to the infamous HBGARY emails.  To refresh your memory: "Palantir Technologies is a major component of the intelligence contracting system, producing cutting-edge software and services for a range of government and private sector clients." This wiki has a comprehensive list of emails linking Palantir technologies to HBGary in their original plan to leak info on wikileaks and anonymous. http://wiki.echelon2.org/wiki/Palantir  This article from techdirt: Leaked HBGary Documents Show Plan To Spread Wikileaks Propaganda For BofA... And 'Attack' Glenn Greenwald   Also shows the link between the two companies.

The counter-protest is starting up on Facebook in this group: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Commuters-Take-Back-BART/123517357747682?sk=wall The description of the group is currently:

BART commuters are sick and tired of "protests" interfering with our right to use public transit, so we can earn a living and get back to our families. These "protests" are illegal inside of the paid areas of BART, are an extreme safety hazard on platforms due to the proximity of the tracks and electrified 3rd rail, and do not represent the views of the commuters by and large. Lets take back BART from these misguided protesters and show them they are way out numbered and will not shut down BART again! Ill show you the first conversation happening on the OPEN wall:

Biggest supporter/possible founder: Jason Legate... http://www.facebook.com/jlegate  Check out where he works:

#NoJusticeNoPeace We are Anonymous

We are Legion

We Do NOT Forgive

We Do NOT Forget