Chicago officials launched an investigation into hackers allegedly jamming the city’s police radios with disruptive messages during riots over George Floyd’s death.
The hackers’ messages ranged from anti-police songs such as “Fuck tha Police” by N.W.A. to Serbian music, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Protesters have been staging demonstrations throughout the country over the death of Floyd, who died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes, according to video of the incident.
However, some of the hackers appeared to be supporting officers, broadcasting messages like “blue lives matter most,” the Sun-Times reported. “Officer safety is to leave. Let ’em burn it down.” (RELATED: At Least Five Police Officers Reportedly Shot, One On Life Support As Rioters And Law Enforcement Battle Across The Country)
Tell Me THIS Wasn’t an Organized Attack: Chicago Rioters Jammed Police Radios Confounding Copshttps://t.co/TFOQ7pobDV
— Ivan E. Raiklin⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Raiklin) June 2, 2020
“It’s a very dangerous thing that they’re doing,” said Dan Casey, deputy director of public safety information technology in the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. Recordings of the transmissions were provided to local and federal authorities to aid their investigation, he told the Sun-Times.
He added that authorities “are looking at a multilayer plan to secure the radio channels.”
Most of the Chicago Police Department’s patrol officers use radios susceptible to hacking, though they have some encrypted frequencies. With a new plan instated, some frequencies still must remain unencrypted so that other law enforcement agencies will be able to communicate with Chicago officers.
The Chicago Police Department did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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