Yesterday morning, a day after the compilation of Hephaestus’s first Aquaculture Center, an unidentified leaker released what many believe to be classified Hephaestus documents onto the platform known as “64-tan”. These alleged classified documents reveal an inside report commissioned by Hephaestus Industries to theorize about the potential environmental and ecological damage to the Trizkizki Sea. The conclusion was that within the next decade, pollution from the Aquaculture centers, and the mass fishing to populate them will result in a downward ecological spiral that will eventually leave the Trizkizki Sea a disaster, bare of almost all complex life. Hephaestus has denied that these documents are real, stating that they were forged by those who wish to hurt the company and its reputation and have given the press access to several similar real classified documents, reports, and papers that show the Aquaculture centers will not adversely affect the ecology or environment of the Trizkizki Sea.
Still, these forged documents have taken Ouerea by storm, being shared across the planet, and have resulted in an increase in civil unrest. Watchmen across the planet have reported spontaneous protests outside of Hephaestus facilities, some of which have begun to devolve into riots. Hephaestus Security personnel have been coordinating with the Watchmen to ensure as little damage is done to Hephaestus facilities and the surrounding area; dozens have already been arrested for inciting riots in an attempt to keep the protests peaceful. The biggest protests have occurred outside of Aquaculture Centers 2 and 3, which are still under construction, where Hephaestus Security forces estimate a crowd of fifteen thousand at each site have gathered to protest the construction of further Aquaculture Centers. While these crowds have remained mostly peaceful, there have been some instances of violence as individuals attempt to block workers and materials from entering the construction sites, or have attempted to forcefully enter the construction site. Hephaestus' security forces have however managed to keep the violence to a minimum, and only a handful of rioters have been injured in the past day; before being detained and handed over to the watchmen for their crimes.
While these protests and riots rage on Ouerea, the situation is much different on Moghes. Many of the nobility have condemned the protestors and rioters, saying that they are endangering the future of the Unathi species by opposing the only solution to the rationing and specter of famine hanging over the Hegemony. Social Media networks such as Chirper have been flooded with support for Hephaestus by those from all walks of life across Moghes, who see what the guild is doing as necessary. A minority who attempted to form a protest outside the Hephaestus Branch Office in Skalamar found themselves quickly confronted by counter-protesters, peasantry mostly from Moghes who had come to seek a job with the guild, which quickly descended into a brawl. Watchmen intervened within minutes, and injuries were reported to be minimal. No arrests were made, and the crowd was simply ordered to disperse.
We will keep our readers updated on this situation as it develops.