Scientology Protest

This is from the Kings Student who interviewed me at the protest (not sure if the news story will still be her site though). She did a great job interviewing us, as well as interviewing the scifags. She made a balanced review, and unlike CTV, dident go and take one side (CTV took the scifags side as he knew one of them).

Well, people were there, wearing masks and holding signs that said “Tom Cruise can’t fly”.  All in all, I’m not sure how I feel about a masked group holding a protest outside a religious organization’s church during a service — but I guess it doesn’t matter how I feel.  The protesters were pretty easy to talk to, except that they didn’t want to take off their masks or tell me their last names.  I talked to a couple of people walking by on the street, but the Scientologists and the police were a little more difficult.  As I approached the Church of Scientology, a man came out the front door and took a picture of me (I think he though I was a protester).  When I introduced myself and told him I was writing an article on what was happening, he opened right up and started to talk to me about how all religions collect money from followers, but a woman inside told him to stop talking to me — she wanted me to call back later — so he went back into the church.  When I called back she gave me the number for the Office of Special Affairs for Scientology in Toronto, and the people there emailed me an official Scientology press release but didn’t answer any of my questions.

As for the police, the officer who pulled up was telling the protesters that what they were doing was fine as long as they stayed out of the streets and off private property.  I approached her to ask her whether or not wearing masks at the protest was legal, and she told me I would have to call the media relations people to find out… hmm… simple question which I don’t understand why she couldn’t just answer.  Turns out media relations doesn’t do business on the weekends  (at least not from the phone number I have) so that’s not working out.

Pretty interesting event — not sure how I feel about the whole thing though.

• 200 protest Scientology
• Project Chanology / Anonymous vs. Scientology IRL showdown in LA
• London Scientology Protest Threatens to Turn Violent over Tom Cruise Assault
• Scientology protest in Clearwater
• Anti-Scientology Protest