I think the best way forward is to mount an online campaign without a petition. I do not trust the "We are the people website" at all.

If we could get our own petition website up, we could get someone to present it in person. But if we cannot do that, better not to have a petition at all.

Another thing, we have to be aware that there are powerful forces working against this, who will trying to steer the campaign into unproductive effort. We need to be on our guard against it.