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Cyberattack in Gay Marriage Battle

California campaigners call FBI after alleged cyberinvasion crashes site

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 31, 2008 6:23 AM CDT

(Newser) – Campaigners seeking to keep gay marriage legal in California say a sophisticated cyberattack crashed their website, the Wall Street Journal reports. The group has complained to the FBI that the No to Proposition 8 website was brought down for several hours Wednesday night by a coordinated "denial of service" attack. Supporters of a ban on gay marriage say they had nothing to do with the crash.

"This is clearly an orchestrated attempt to tear down what has become one of the largest grass-roots movements in California electoral history," the group's director said. Tensions are rising ahead of the vote, with vandalism, sign theft, and assaults reported from both sides. Churches and civil rights groups have been pouring money and volunteers into the state.

Richie Beanan from Los Angeles, puts a sign on a bus that will tour California in support of Proposition 8. after a rally in Sacramento, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

Demonstrators rally against Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that would outlaw same-sex marriage in California, outside the world premiere of Milk on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Megan Bernard is accompanied by her son Harrison, eight months, as she attends a rally in support of Proposition 8, at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

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Cyberattack in Gay Marriage Battle

California campaigners call FBI after alleged cyberinvasion crashes site

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Cyberattack in Gay Marriage Battle

California campaigners call FBI after alleged cyberinvasion crashes site

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

California • gay marriage • hacker • website • denial of service attack • Proposition 8

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Supreme Court's Move on Gay Marriage? Maybe Not

Prop 8 ruling is limited to California, providing a potential reason to skip

Court Blocks California's Ban on Gay Marriage

Declares Prop 8 unconstitutional, paving way for Supreme Court decision

Key Ruling Due Today on Calif. Gay Marriage Ban

Judge to rule on gay colleague's decision striking down Prop. 8

Prop 8 Judge Says He's Gay —and It's Irrelevant

Vaughn Walker confirms homosexuality

Elton John: In US, I'm '2nd-Class Citizen'

Singer's getting angry about gay-marriage ban

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Newser By Users

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