Anonymous have taken over the world’s most notorious Nazi website, following clashes with white nationalists over the weekend that left one anti-fascist protestor dead, it has been claimed, though the attack may have been staged.

A post on the Daily Stormer website attributed to the hacking group said that the site was now under its control and that it would stop it posting “putrid hate”. It also suggested that it will release data that had been taken as part of the attack, as well as suggesting it could conduct attacks on its leader.

The site is to remain online for 24 hours “so the world can witness the hate”, the group said. After that it will be shut down forever, they claimed.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

Because of the nature of Anonymous – a loosely-grouped organisation with which anyone can claim affinity – it's not possible to verify the claims or even be sure whether the hack was being done by an established account. "We have no confirmation that 'Anonymous' is involved yet," a Twitter account associated with the group posted.

One of the biggest Anonymous Twitter accounts, Your Anon News, said that it didn't have confirmation the attack was being done by Anonymous. It even suggested that the Daily Stormer itself could have put the post up as a distraction.

According to the post on the Daily Stormer website, the cyber attack was done in the name of Heather Heyer, the anti-fascist protestor who died when a car was driven into counter protestors during a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend. A statement posted onto the Daily Stormer website said Ms Heyer was a “victim of white supremacist terrorism”.

One dead as car hits crowd of anti-fascist protesters in Charlottesville

Ms Heyer died during unrest in Charlottesville as counter-protestors attempted to stop a “unite the right” rally in the city that included protestors from groups including the Ku Klux Klan. The protests began in response to a plan to remove a statue, but violence erupted and the city was forced to declare a state of emergency in response to the far-right protest.

The Daily Stormer had supported that protest, as well as historically giving support to many of the groups that called for and participated in it.

“For too long the Daily Stormer and Andrew Angling have spewed their putrid hate on the site,” a statement from Anonymous that was posted as a story on the website read. “That will not be happening anymore.”

The same statement suggested that Anonymous had got access to private files and information during the attack.

“We have all the details on the servers and will be releasing the data when we feel the time is right,” it continued. “We have also gathered locational data on Anglin himself and are sending our allies in Lagos to pay him a visit in person.

“This evil cannot be allowed to stand.

“The events of Charlottesville alerted us to the need for immediate action.”

The statement said that it had taken a “united force of elite hackers from around the world to breach the systems and the firewall”. The statements’ claims to have breached the most central parts of the website can’t be independently verified.