U.S. Far-Right Activists Promote Hacking Attack Against Macron

[Mr. Sparkle]

Source: NY Times

After months of trying to move the political needle in favor of Marine Le Pen in the French presidential election, American far-right activists on Saturday threw their weight behind a hacking attack against her rival, Emmanuel Macron, hoping to cast doubt on an election that is pivotal to France and the wider world. The efforts were the culmination of a monthslong campaign against Mr. Macron after his candidacy began to gain steam earlier this year, with digital activists in the United States and elsewhere regularly sharing tactics, tips and tricks across the English- and French-speaking parts of the internet.

It is unclear whether the leaked documents, which some experts say may be connected to hackers linked to Russia, will affect the outcome of the election on Sunday between Ms. Le Pen, the far-right candidate from the National Front and Mr. Macron, an independent centrist. But the role of American far-right groups in promoting the breach online highlights their growing resolve to spread extremist messages beyond the United States.

“It’s the anti-globalists trying to go global,” said Ben Nimmo, a senior fellow of the digital forensics research lab at the Atlantic Council, a think tank, who has studied the far right’s recent efforts against Mr. Macron and others in France. “There’s a feeling of trying to export the revolution.” The digital attack, which involved posting campaign documents like emails and accounting records to message boards, occurred late on Friday, hours before a legal prohibition on campaign communications went into effect across France. In response, Mr. Macron’s team said the hackers had included fake information alongside authentic material “to sow doubt.”

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/06/world/europe/emmanuel-macron-hack-french-election-marine-le-pen.html

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Also from the BBC :

How did the leaks spread?

The hashtag #MacronLeaks appeared on Twitter on an account used by a US alt-right figure on Friday afternoon - and was reportedly retweeted 87 times in the first five minutes

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39827244

[Berlin Expat]

1. The American far-right is

determined to export their reactionary views throughout Europe. If they lose in France (and hopefully, they will) their next target will almost certainly be the German federal elections coming up this September. There are a lot of links between the American and German far-right scenes, so they'll be doing their damndest to try to influence that election.

[Achilleaze]

2. righty repubes & russian BFFs are pissing on democracy worldwide

deplorable

[dalton99a]

3. They are literally the enemies of freedom

[riversedge]

5. Yet, Trump loves them--when it is convenient.

[Squinch]

4. I noticed this. At this point, Macron has almost twice the support LePen has. At any other

time LePen would be a nameless also-ran, Wikileaks or no Wikileaks. But because of people pushing her name around, even here, she's an international household word. This gives the impression that the whole alt-right movement is a lot stronger and more widespread and influential than it has any hope of ever becoming.

Also, whenever we hear about Wikileaks, it is in a context that suggests that the leaks contain big bad dirt. They never do.

I know that there are people here who will bite my head off for saying this, but even the ones that showed debate questions being leaked in the Democratic primary were not that much of a "get." Those leaked questions weren't exactly unexpected. Anyone who did any debate prep would absolutely have prepared for those questions, as I'm sure Sanders did not having been told the questions, and I'm sure Hillary would have done even if she had not been informed of them. They were standard debate questions. BUT the alt right takes the story, presents it as if it's a huge freaking deal, and we all buy it. And it cost us. And our gullibility and willingness to be dragged around by our noses has given us Trump.

They are smart. We can never underestimate them.

[Demit]

6. I remember there being one question, from Donna Brazile. Were there more?

I remember the one leaked question about the water in Flint, and the debate was being held in Michigan & the Flint situation was a hot topic at the time, so not only would anybody prepare for that topic, but Hillary Clinton?? I watched her for 11 hours in the Benghazi hearings & she answered every question in detail. Because that's what she does—know her stuff & be ready for anything. It was stupid of Donna Brazile to try to "help" HRC that way.

[Squinch]

7. Exactly. It was a big nothing. But we're still talking about it.

I thought there were two questions and I don't remember what the other was, but I could be mistaken.

[dhill926]

8. fascist fucks....

[FiveGoodMen]

9. Again, here's our biggest problem in the long run

Control of Congress and the White House may shift back and forth, but the base of God. Damned. Nazis. in the US turns out to be the real threat.

About half of America's citizens are fit only for hell.

[wolfie001]

10. Replug, Christian Conserva-toads

All are deplorable. Biggest phony bastards ever.