Wikileaks has set up a paywall for users who want access to the Global Information files in a bid to gain funding, but hacktivist group Anonymous is against this move.

The Web site, which has served as a dumping ground for classified documents from the U.S. and abroad, has faced financial difficulties recently. Both Mastercard and Visa have withdrawn payment support due to the site's controversial nature, and donations can no longer be sent via PayPal either.

When these payment companies shunned Wikileaks back in 2010 the Anonymous hacktivist collective jumped to the site's defense. Now, however, things have taken a different turn since Wikileaks has erected its paywall.

A paywall is basically a coding designed to prevent online users from accessing a Web site or service without paying for it first. Wikileaks implemented this paywall on Wednesday, Oct. 10, for users who want to access the Global Information files.

"In this election, vote with your wallet - vote Wikileaks," reads the message requiring users to donate before gaining access. Ironically, you can pay via Mastercard or Visa. Only the Global Information part of the site is covered by the paywall, not Wikileaks itself. Anonymous has taken offense nonetheless, and has released a statement in response.

A Twitter conversation between Anonymous and Wikileaks resulted in the paywall's removal on Oct. 10, but only for a short period of time. The paywall was back up the next day, prompting the hacktivist group to retaliate, claiming it has been "betrayed" by this "rabid scrounging for money."

"Anonymous has been a steadfast ally of both Wikileaks and Assange, and many Anonymous members have been charged or arrested for their support - but no Wikileaks staff members have ever been charged or imprisoned," reads the group's angry statement.

"To this day, not ONE single WikiLeaks staff are charged or incarcerated. However, Anonymous has 14 indicted (facing 16 years) for online protests defending WikiLeaks - and one (Jeremy Hammond) in prison and facing 20 years for allegedly supplying the Stratfor GI Files. Not to mention the heroic Bradley Manning who now rots in Ft. Leavenworth Prison facing life."

"Despite that fact, WikiLeaks has chosen to dishonor and insult Anonymous and all information activists by prostituting the Stratfor Files and other disclosures that Hammond and Manning stand accused of supplying."

Assange has defended the move to set up a paywall, and Wikileaks has tweeted ways to get around it (disabling Javascript, for instance).

"These donations go to fund WikiLeaks' publishing and infrastructure costs and our legal costs to fight the financial blockade," argued Assange in a statement to the media. Neither this response, nor the workarounds, however, managed to appease the angry hacktivist collective.

"Regardless of any workarounds, the fact remains that a meretricious page is placed for the majority of visitors that cannot be closed," countered the group. "The obvious intention is to force donations in exchange for access. This is a filthy and rotten, wholly un-ethical action - and Anonymous is enraged."

The hacking group pledged not to attack any of the Wikileaks Web assets because the site is considered a media outlet. Instead, it will just withdraw support for both the Web site and its founder Julian Assange, who is currently taking refuge in the London-based Ecuadorian embassy.

"No longer will Anonymous risk prison to defend WikiLeaks or Julian Assange from their enemies. No longer will Anonymous risk prison to supply material for WikiLeaks disclosures. Anonymous turns its back on WikiLeaks. Wikileaks has with its actions this past 48 hours betrayed Anonymous, and thus has lost its biggest and most powerful supporter."