Internet rights group Fight for the Future has organised protests in 30 cities to oppose the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtaining a court order to force Apple Inc to unlock an encrypted iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters. Associated Press reported the demonstrations will be held on Tuesday outside Apple stores in 30 cities in the United States, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Germany. The protests in the US will be spread across more than 20 states, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, where they plan to express their support for the tech giant’s decision to create a backdoor to the iPhone outside the FBI headquarters.

Apple is fighting the US magistrate's order directing it to help the country's government hack into an encrypted phone belonging to Syed Farook, one of the shooters who opened fire at a social agency in Southern California. The ruling requires Apple to provide the FBI with software that will allow them to bypass a security feature built into most iPhones that destroys all data on the phone if there are more than 10 failed attempts to unlock it.

Apple CEO Time Cook said last week that in the wrong hands, anyone in possession of this software will be able to unlock any iPhone. However, the FBI has claimed the company is exaggerating the security risks in a marketing move aimed at boosting iPhone sales. Fight for the Future believes Apple is right to be wary and hopes the Obama administration will change its stand; so far, it has supported the FBI in its legal showdown with Apple.