4Chan sleuths use ‘flight patterns’ to track down & capture Shia Labeouf’s anti-Trump flag
An anti-President Donald Trump flag livestreamed from a secret outdoor location has been stolen by online sleuths, who painstakingly monitored flight and weather patterns to track down the symbol of the “He Will Not Divide Us” movement.
Marshalled by Hollywood actor Shia Labeouf, the “He Will Not Divide Us” project is a response to Donald Trump’s election as the 45th president of the United States.
The project has become famous for its troubled livestreams, where followers turn out at different locations to chant “He Will Not Divide Us” into a camera.
The stream is down. #HEWILLNOTDIVIDEUSpic.twitter.com/z1GtYfCIgK
— HeWillNotDivideUs (@HWNDU_livetweet) March 10, 2017
The crew’s February stream outside the El Rey Theater, Albuquerque, was abandoned after shots were fired in the area. LaBeouf was also arrested at one exhibition for punching a man who made a comment about Hitler into the live feed.
READ MORE: Shia LaBusted: Actor LaBeouf arrested for assault at anti-Trump protest (VIDEO)
#FreeShiapic.twitter.com/NIORzdx7mL
— Elijah Warner (@hoops_416_) February 22, 2017
On March 8, the decision was made to livestream a flag emblazoned with the group’s message in an “unknown location” for the duration of Trump’s presidency.
https://t.co/7y83TPB4d1
— Shia LaBeouf (@thecampaignbook) March 8, 2017
NOW LIVE
Unknown Location pic.twitter.com/TwB1kTKySD
For the duration of the 4 years a #HEWILLNOTDIVIDEUS flag will be flown at an unknown location.
— HeWillNotDivideUs (@HWNDU_livetweet) March 8, 2017
But in a matter of hours, saboteurs figured out Labeouf’s flag hideaway was in a Tennessee field, despite only having views of the sky to go on.
HE WILL NOT DIVIDE US! RT @DirtyCallahanX: 🏆🏅🏆Capture The Flag Champion🏆🏅🏆#HWNDU#HeWillNotDivideUspic.twitter.com/cXow9GUQnZ
— HeWillNotDivideUs (@HeWillNotBOT) March 11, 2017
Footage shows how the flag was replaced by a Trump T-shirt and a “Make America Great Again” hat.
Comments on Reddit, 4Chan and Twitter suggest the flag’s capture was aided by online sleuths studying “plane contrails” and even star patterns.
Shia LaBeouf set up a He Will Not Divide us pole at an undisclosed location and Channers found it by studying plane contrails pic.twitter.com/AxDluBUa6Z
— Date Outside Subrace (@wokieleaks1) March 10, 2017
4chan is using flight plans to locate the #hewillnotdivideus flag. Godspeed lads. pic.twitter.com/lWiTQIgwLB
— Trigger-Happy (@Trigg3rH4ppySOB) March 8, 2017
4chan used flight trackers and contrails to steal Shia LaBeouf's flag.
— Chris Trimble (@christrimble) March 11, 2017
That's just... pretty genius.https://t.co/t6EcTwAVpr
The only thing visible on his live feed was the flag + sky and yet 4Chan tracked down the location by studying flight contrails pic.twitter.com/o3YFWfvLL8
— Turlough (@Turlough7) March 10, 2017
Screengrabs from a 4Chan message board also suggest weather forecasts were also monitored.
Another, and perhaps the most telling giveaway of the flag’s location, was a recent picture of LaBeouf in a Greeneville, Tennessee cafe.
While social media has gone wild over the bizarre game of “capture the flag,” not everyone is convinced of the investigative methods.
I'm sorry but the idea of 8 years of playing capture the flag with Shia Labeouf is just hilarious to me
— punished inspector (@GenericMisaka) March 9, 2017
Shia Labeouf's 3rd attempt at #HWNDU#HeWillNotDivideUs defeated in <2 days. Flag replaced w/ #MAGA hat! Read more: https://t.co/3PlJtcXibg
— Uncle Chang (@UncleChangNYC) March 10, 2017
“The feat is impressive enough without having to pretend that stars and contrails contributed,” wrote one Reddit user, adding: “In the end it was good old-fashioned luck and manpower that accomplished the capture.”
shia labeouf hung a #hwndu flag in the middle of nowhere with the sky as the only reference. 4chan used plane and star patterns to find it. pic.twitter.com/a1nu9y6XwC
— Jake Magee (@JakeMMagee) March 10, 2017
Another claimed: “The planes may have helped a little, but the stars and sh*t are bulls*t”.