NPS employees appear to go rogue, start Twitter resistance

UPDATE 1/26 5:42 a.m.

The Twitter account run by several National Park Service employees has been handed to a group of journalists and scientists.

Hello all!

We have taken over the group and will continue to run this account, advocating scientific and environmental interests.

— AltUSNatParkService (@AltNatParkSer) January 26, 2017

The new operators of the account say they are made up of environmental scientists, journalists and fact checkers. The account is expected to continue its Twitter resistance to Trump’s administration.

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Can’t wait for President Trump to call us FAKE NEWS.

You can take our official twitter, but you’ll never take our free time!

— AltUSNatParkService (@AltNatParkSer) January 25, 2017

While the Trump administration was still settling into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the National Park Service was temporarily banned from Tweeting, according to an internal email recovered by Gizmodo.

The Trump administration has already restricted the ability of some government agencies to post on social media, speak to the press, or even issue press releases. These restrictions applied to the Environmental Protection Agency and reports say other agencies are facing similar restrictions. However, the NPS has not gone quietly into the night.

Badlands National Park in South Dakota fired back via Twitter after the new administration removed information about climate change from several websites. In a series of since deleted Tweets, the park shared the facts regarding climate change.

Since then, several employees of the park service seem to have formed a Twitter resistance, showing the Trump administration that they will not be silenced.

Their Twitter description reads, “The Unofficial “Resistance” team of U.S. National Park Service. Not taxpayer subsidised! Come for rugged scenery, fossil beds, 89 million acres of landscape.”

While the media has tried to find out who is behind the account, the alleged employees have said, “We’ve been asked by a few to identify ourselves. Be gentle with us. It’s a scary climate out there.”

The only clue as to their identity, is the national park they work at.

We are definitely real! Come visit us at Mt Rainer National Park.

(We are in Washington) https://t.co/yjQfZKRHLF

— AltUSNatParkService (@AltNatParkSer) January 25, 2017

On their website, the park says it employs, “125 permanent employees. [and] Between May and September … up to an additional 175 temporary employees are hired.”

So far, the Tweets have inspired members of the public and celebrities like Nick Offerman to stand up to the Trump administration’s efforts to silence government agencies.

GODDAMN RIGHT I WILL https://t.co/MIRLgWUtA7

— Nick Offerman (@Nick_Offerman) January 25, 2017

The Twitter account is also encouraging other agencies to stand up to the Trump administration. Saying they could have a big impact on the administration’s actions.

Imagine what a couple of rogue CIA staff could do to .@POTUS if it’s this easy to set up an AltTwitter account. #resist

— AltUSNatParkService (@AltNatParkSer) January 25, 2017

The account has quickly gained internet fame, gaining hundreds of thousands of followers in less than 24 hours.

As the administration continues its efforts to silence government agencies, members of the public and government employees seem to be standing up against those commands.