Scientology Petition To Prevent Anonymous Protests In Clearwater Rejected
The Church of Scientology’s last minute appeal in the Pinellas Circuit court to prevent protesters from assembling in front of the Church’s most prominent center (often referred to as Flag Land Base) on Saturday, was rejected according a St. Petersburg Times article:
Tuesday’s suit, a petition for an “injunction for protection against repeat violence,” was denied Wednesday afternoon by Circuit Judge Linda Allan, who ruled the relevant Florida statute does not apply to corporations.
Just hours before Allan ruled, the church filed a separate, nearly identical lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order. The second suit seeks protection under a different Florida statute. No decision has been made on that suit.
The lawyers for Scientology cited a barrage of alleged harassment as the basis for the injuction, but as the statute is typically used in domestic abuse cases, Scientology was not able to make a valid case to prevent members of Anonymous from protesting outside of the Clearwater, Florida location.
Some of the alleged incidents filed in the lengthy reports are outlined in the article:
Scientology also says members of the Internet activist group Anonymous made, or encouraged others to make, 8,139 harassing or threatening phone calls to the church. Anonymous sent 3.6-million “malicious” e-mails to Scientologists, the church contends, committed 10 acts of vandalism at various churches and made 22 bomb threats and eight death threats.
Much of these allegations are presented in a video made by Scientology and posted on YouTube yesterday. The CoS was hoping to prevent the second set of protests orchestrated by Anonymous from coming within 500 feet of the Clearwater Org, but so far it seems their efforts have failed.
Interestingly, the suit names 26 people as members of Anonymous and alleges they, as part of Anonymous, took part or were privy to the aforementioned harassment charges. How Scientology obtained those names is of great interest to anyone who may be following this situation and certainly anyone planning on attending protests this weekend in other cities.
Anonymous is a collective of people from all corners of the internet, many are mothers, fathers, business people, doctors, lawyers, teachers, students, long-time Scientology critics often referred to as the “old guard,” or any other words, anyone and everyone who opposes the Church of Scientology.
The challenge for the CoS in this new wave of criticism is isolating and identifying who they perceive is “threatening” them. In the past, Scientology has been able to sue individual critics as they emerged by the very nature of their attack. For people like Arnie Lerma, Mark Bunker, Tory “Magoo” Christman or Paulette Cooper, the road to drawing attention to Scientology’s less than savory elements was a difficult one, with the Church having billions of dollars at their disposal for expensive lawyers to pursue every angle of the law in silencing these outspoken critics, many of whom are ex-members of Scientology.
The CoS’ aggressive lawsuit flinging is legendary, and perhaps at the very root of their lucrative, but secret agreement with the Internal Revenue Service. In Scientology’s early years, they tended to employ what they called their “Fair Game” practice to silence critics, but after several lawsuits and exposure of these illegal activities, including famous cases such as Operation Freakout, Operation Snow White, and the sad case of Lisa McPherson, the CoS adopted another strategy: lawsuits. The purpose of which is less about winning, than about demoralizing, bankrupting and destroying their adversary.
Back to the current filed lawsuit in Florida, the STPT article spoke with a young man named in the suit about how he became involved, and :
A church spokesperson would not say how the church got the names, but at an Anonymous-sponsored demonstration in Clearwater on Feb. 10 church security videotaped and photographed protesters, most of whom disguised their faces with fake beards, face paint, scarves and bandannas. An estimated 200 participated.
Matthew Dakan was one. A 28-year-old comic book appraiser from Sarasota, he is named in the lawsuits, but says he isn’t a member of Anonymous.
Calling himself an Anonymous “sympathizer,” Dakan said he doesn’t know any members of group, but participated in the Feb. 10 protest after seeing information about it on Anonymous Web sites. He also said, “I personally have a problem with Scientology, I think it’s very bad.”
Dakan said he gave his name to someone who identified himself as a reporter and later saw someone photographing his license plate.
As for the allegations of threatened violence, Dakan said he didn’t see anything like that at the Feb. 10 protest.
“They sort of went out of their way not to cause any trouble,” he said of Anonymous protesters.
In fact, of the more 7000+ individuals who participated in February’s global protest at Scientology centers around the world, not one was arrested for any acts of violence, yet the Church, in it’s own manner of harassment, followed, videotaped and surreptitiously obtained identifying information about those who participated in the protest. Clearly, the wearing of masks, disguises and other efforts to shroud the identity of Anonymous protesters was not an ill-conceived idea, although not entirely full proof either.
As for the video created by Scientology which they claim made direct threats to Scientology churches, Anonymous were the first to respond with reports to the FBI, (including one I personally filed on the FBI website when I saw the video), and they immediately notified YouTube to have it removed.
Strangely, within minutes of seeing the video, members of Anonymous contacted the media to denounce any such acts of violence and to deny any involvement, only to be told the Church of Scientology had already called them and pointed them to the video.
As it stands, the Clearwater Anonymous protests will go on as scheduled.
Anonymous plans two protests in Clearwater this weekend. The first is Friday night at Eckerd Hall, where Scientologists will gather to celebrate founder L. Ron Hubbard’s birthday. Saturday protestors plan to demonstrate near church properties downtown.
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It should be obvious to anyone even a little familiar with the CO$ tactics that they’ve been producing these threatening videos themselves to allow them to file just such a legal attempt against “anonymous”.
Anyone who doubts that should look up Paulette Cooper, who was victimized in just such a way by scientology’s “Operation Freakout”. They stole blank paper from her that had her fingerprints on it and then typed up a bomb threat against themselves and sent it to themselves. Ms Cooper almost went to jail for 15 years. That’s scientology in a nutshell.
And anyone who thinks the “Fair Game” law of scientology has been cancelled needs to google that and read the cancellation policy letter. It is not cancelled, only the use of the term “fair game” was cancelled.
They’re still fair gaming people.
Comment by Sean — March 13, 2008 @ 1:57 pm
I just hope the $cientology goons don’t STAGE VIOLENCE in order to suppress the protester’s free speech.
The CULT OF SCIENTOLOGY will do anything to protect their money making machine. the poor saps at the bottom are expendable to David Miscavige and his cronies.
I expect the cult to create violence and mar a peaceful protest.
Comment by Ben — March 13, 2008 @ 1:58 pm
Reports coming in now about a ’suspicious package’ outside their St Pete Org:
http://suncoastpinellas.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/13/tampa-helps-st-pete-scientology-site-bomb-scare/
dollars to doughnuts it was put there by the Church of Scientology to aid their effort to block protests and defame those who are critical of their dubious practices
Comment by Anonymous — March 13, 2008 @ 2:11 pm
Another mamoth Scn footbullet. Scn just keeps proving
to the world that they are a nasty and stoopid cult that wants to stop free speech.
I’m sure Scn will continue to create great lulz for
all of us, with their incredibly stupid “handlings”
of Suppressive Persons, Scn critics, and Anonymous
Thanks D for having the courage to speak out against
this cult. Your courage will bring courage to others
who are still silent and afraid of Scientology.
Hugs to you,
Patty
Comment by Patty — March 13, 2008 @ 2:29 pm
SCIENTOLOGY PLANTING BOMBS TO MAKE ANONYMOUS LOOK VIOLENT?
despicable cult
Comment by Kev — March 13, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
The Co$ is in crisis mode, their core membership is crumbling, and those out on the fringe are beginning to ask questions.
It is likely they will resort to anything and everything, including the R2-45 policy.
Comment by Wut — March 13, 2008 @ 2:56 pm
It seems obvious that the Scientology crime syndicate’;s crime bosses forged whatever threats they claim to have received themselves in keeping with the crime syndicate’s well documented history.
I see that the insane crooks are screaming their old lies about how someone shot up one of their business offices in Oregon, never mentioning the fact that tgo date ALL ACTS OF VIOLENCE against Scientology individuals and businesses have been committed by Scientology customers, including the Oregon shooting — something the insane crooks “forget” to tell judges and everyone else.
As soon as the Judge denied the insane crook’s attempts to nullify the U. S. Constitution, suddenly the insane crooks claim to have a bomb threat against one of their business offices. Does ANYONE think that anyone OTHER than Scientology contrived yet another fictitious incident to try to pretend that they’re some how victims?
It’s really bizarre. Organized crime regimes that are more traditional have never, in my research in to criminal enterprises of the past, ever forged bomb threats against themselves, only the Scientology crime syndicate has a history of doing so. But of course Scientology isn’t a traditional organized crime syndicate; it’s rather like the old Amway scam taken to and beyond the Gambino level.
As always, the human rights activists, the civil riughts activists, the anti-crime actibists, the family members of the “disconnected,” the people trying to stop Scientology’s crimes and abuses have ALWAYS been peaceful and it has ALWAYS been the crime syndicate’s insane staff, ringleaders, and customers who have attacked the citizens trying to dismantle the criminal enterprise, rescue family members, or defend civil rights.
My opinions only, as always, and only my opinions. I may be wrong.
Comment by Fredric L. Rice — March 13, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
The Co$ have a gazillion cameras around their buildings. I would want all the videos to view them and if they can’t produce them then I would say a definite red herring. And what a coincidunk that the package was found shortly after a judge refused their injunction. I would not put it past them to bomn thier own as a last desperate attempt. I also think it is very telling that we are only seing this stuff now. It’s been a month since the protest and much of the socall threats occured before Feb. 10th so why not have gone to the courts or police then> Makes absolutely no sense unless they have just woken up to the fact that this protest could be HUGE!
Comment by Mitsu Too — March 13, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
Hey D, this will interest you.
http://forums.enturbulation.org/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=6889
It’s a statement that a man (as elaborated in the statement) sent to the judge who was in care of the case.
It’s basically saying that the Scientology report was lying and evidence.
This = more bad press
Yaay, good times
Comment by Anoynymause — March 13, 2008 @ 4:38 pm
Thank you so much for reporting this!
There is specific new information about some underhanded tactics being used by the CoS to dsrupt things – http://digg.com/politics/Scientology_using_dirty_tactics_to_disrupt_Sydney_protest
Comment by Terry Yeo — March 13, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
Anyone going to the protests on March 15 – take a camera, a video camera if you have one – and document what goes on…
CO$ intend to provoke violence and cause mayhem – stay calm and focused and don’t bite the bait that they will offer…
Show them the tolerance, humility and compassion their cult lacks.
And take care of yourselves and them. They are only doing their master’s calling…
Comment by beebee — March 13, 2008 @ 5:21 pm
[...] has been much speculation about the origins of the “Anonymous threatens to bomb Scientology” video which showed up a few weeks [...]
Pingback by GlossLip » Did Scientology Create “Bomb Threat” Video Used In Clearwater Injunction Case? — March 15, 2008 @ 8:08 am
take cameras and tape recorders to any protest so that in case a problem arises there is audio and visual proof of every incident God Bless All anti scientology Protesters and Those doing what They can to stop cult abuses and crimes
Comment by judy — March 17, 2008 @ 5:20 pm