Bland was arrested on July 10 following a traffic violation in Waller County, Texas. Three days later, she was found dead in her cell. Officials say she used a plastic bag to hang herself in her jail cell.
Bland's death has caused national outrage, with many pointing to her death as another case of an African-American dying at the hands of police brutality. The officer who arrested Bland, Brian Encinia, had received an evaluation that said he acted unprofessionally during a separate incident in 2014. During the traffic stop, Bland allegedly kicked Encinia, and the officer is seen on the Dashcam video holding a stun gun and telling Bland, "I'll light you up."
But Bland's death has been met with scrutiny by some. Anonymous has raised questions about a conspiracy to cover up the fact that Bland might have been murdered while in custody,
A seven-minute video released by the group points to Bland's mug shot as proof of a coverup. According to the group, it believes the photo was taken after Bland was already dead.
"We, not as Anonymous but as citizens of the United States, are tired of the cycle of murders and coverups made by police departments across the nation," the group's webpage reads. "We demand that each police chief at each protesting city to come out to the crowds and renew their pledge to protect the people they serve."
The group is also calling for the arrest of
“If you do not take Brian Encinia into custody, we will come after all of you,” the website says. “All your secrets will be leaked. You will all be vulnerable. We all know where you live.”
On Monday, a report surfaced saying Anonymous had hacked the Waller County Sheriff’s Department and leaked information, including salaries, addresses, and telephone numbers of the deputies they say were involved in the Bland murder cover-up. While news of the hack and leaks have not been reported elsewhere, a video claiming to be from Anonymous surfaced on YouTube claiming that Waller County Sheriff's Department had been hacked. The leaked info was reportedly uploaded on Pastebin but has since apparently been removed.
According to this flier making the rounds on social media, the Day of Rage will be happening in front of the federal courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Saturday at 11 a.m.
"We, Anonymous, are calling on the citizens of the United States to commit to a day of rage on August 8th for Sandra Bland and all who have been murdered at the hands of ruthless law enforcement officials who know no honor," the group announced. "Cities around the United States will rise up in unison and call for Sandra Bland’s justice."
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Bland's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Encinia and other officials in the Waller County Sheriff's Department.
