Anonymous protester assaulted in Halifax

Anonymous wrote:PRELIMINARY REPORT

A protester was assaulted in Haliwin today by a fail bullbaiting Scientologist (99.9% certain she was a Scilon).

It was witnessed by a sympathetic-to-the-cause taxi driver who called the cops for us.

A reporter came by with questions and a camera, witnessing the arrest.

More details later...

Anonymous wrote:Okay so here's the tl;dr. It should be noted, that while dialogue is used.... these quotes are from memory. We're not clears so we don't have perfect recall. When the video comes in I'm sure there will be discrepancies in order, and in many cases I'm basically paraphrasing. While we did get a good portion of the exchange, the beginning of the encounter and possibly some later parts were not taped.

We arrived at around 12:30 pm on Saturday at the mission, and unfurled our whoisdavidmiscavige.com vinyl banner. Within ten minutes, a shorter woman with black hair and a focused demeanor approached us. “Can't people be free to believe what they want?” She asked.

“Sure they can.” I replied. “This isn't about beliefs, we are protesting the crimes of this individual.”

“No you're not! You're spreading hate!”

DING DING DING, and it was on.

She'd shout something at us, demand we take our masks off. We'd say no and try to reply, and she'd over talk us saying 'no! I won't talk to you until you take your mask off!'

Yeah.... okay. But this was great, she was now standing in front of our banner (obviously trying to block it), and causing a wonderful commotion. Cars had already been slowing down and giving us honks, but now they were increasing. This beautiful troll was now tying up traffic.

The public loves a good spectacle, and this lady was delivering. One of the vehicles to slow was a taxi, within a moment he gracefully pulled in beside us. He challenged her, told her to leave us alone. “They're not hurting anyone here.”

“Oh well why don't you put a fucking mask on then!” She yelled.

I don't want to quote because I don't have the video back from the cops yet, but he basically told us that he'd lost his wife to Scientology. That because he refused to join she disconnected from him and her kids. There was a line “well why don't you ask my kids where their mother is?”

This is why.

“Fuck off!” She bellowed.

“Hey,” I said, “Why don't you come talk to me?”

She came to stand in front of me, and I stepped forward.

“Hey!” she started 'Hey you stay back you hater, you have to give me my personal space.'

“Okay.” I said, keeping the banner between us.

“Why don't you take off your mask you idiot?”

“I'm an idiot?”

“Yeah, you're retarded.”

“Okay... well we wear masks because...”

“Why don't you take it off then? Why not? Because you're afraid, because you're a coward.”

“I'm not a coward.”

“Yes you are!”

“Listen, this is an act of solidarity.”

'Oh yeah whatever, take your act of solidarity and... ' (I'm worried about quoting that right now, I could be wrong)

“Do you know what that means?” I asked. “An act of solidarity.”

She looked away.

I laughed, I couldn't help it.

“You don't do you, you're too stupid to know what an act of solidarity is.”

She was right up in front of me now.

“You're spreading hate.”

“No I'm not. I don't hate, I'm a christian, I don't hate I don't believe in it. I don't do this because I hate you quite the....”

“You're a Christian, okay.”

“Yes, I am, and hate is wrong.”

I looked at her seriously, my own OT stare. The hugbox stare. She tried to stare back but looked away pretty quick.

“You're spreading hate.”

“No I'm not.”

“Yes you are, god you fucker I can't believe you” (or something to that effect)

I can't remember exactly what she said, because it felt like I was in some kind of crazy scilon bullshit tornado. She was holding three fingers up to my eye like she was going to fucking hypnotize me. I think she wanted me to knock her hand away, but without touching her I extended my own hand with three fingers up to her eyes.

She fake punched me in face, then the groin. I may have said something snippy in the meantime but then she actually did it. She fucking closed her fist, and stepped in to punch me in the cheek. I fixed my mask, and immediately said “hey hey hey, why the fuck did you do that? Why would you do that?”

She stopped. The fury was gone, it was surreal. She looked defeated.

“I don't know.” She said. “I don't know.”

She flipped open her cell phone.

The cab driver stood out and said, “wait a minute, did I just see her punch him?”

An anon made a phone motion to him.

“You got it buddy.”

“Don't worry I'm calling them too.” She said.

“Good.” I said.

I turned to my side, to see femcameranon standing there.

“Oh my god.” I said. “Tell me you fucking got that on film.”

“Yup.” She said. “All of it.”

“No fucking way!” I gripped my groin.

I looked to the other anon holding the banner.

“Trolls trolling trolls baby!” And we high fived.

We had to wait a long time for the cops to arrive, and the cab driver patiently waited for us. In the meantime my new friend was sitting on a rock, talking on her cellphone.

“Yeah I know, I can't believe I did it... I'm in front of the pool hall. The pool hall. I'm in front of the Life Improvement Center! …. Yeah I know, I blew it.” ← it was muffled, but that's sure what it sounded like to me. “Yeah I know, I have to wait. I know I have to wait for the police.”

Next door a few locals had realized the long arm had passed and came strutting out of the pool hall. These guys had been in there for a good little while, and were enjoying their Saturday morning as any proud Maritimer should. “What the fuck happened man?”

“She punched me in the face.”

“You're fucking joking.”

“No dude serious.”

He lurched forward toward her. “Why the fuck would you do that to this guy? What's your problem? You're hitting people now? You can't fucking do that lady. You're nuts!”

I had to keep out of it, and a bit was out of earshot. But these guys eventually got in their truck, and turned around right in front of her with their window down. “You're fucking nuts lady! That's a cult! We don't want it here.” And sped away.

While we waited a reporter approached, she asked us some questions and took our picture and went on her merry way, only somewhat aware of the shitstorm door she had just peaked in to.

I looked to my defeated opponent, “Is this what your auditing gives you?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Oh you're not there yet are you? Where are you on the bridge to total freedom?”

She rubbed her face and scratched her middle finger on her nose.

“Oh nice.” I said. “Very nice.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

That's the thing about war. In another life time we could all be friends.

I gave my statement to the cops, they took the video and said “A copy will be possible down the road. You will get it back soon anyway, she's likely to plead guilty. You'll get it back as soon as she does.”

We all shook hands, took the info and called it a fucking day. I was about to make a bee-line for the car, but an anon pointed out to me. “You know, she talked to a few people here. I think they might still be around.”

“Okay well let's take a different route back to the car then.” And we went up and around the hill, taking a strange long way back. We threw our masks and wigs in the back, and got the fuck out of dodge. The same logic applied, I went no where near home. Out the Herring Cove Rd.

As we were approaching the old Sambro road, one of my passengers said “You know, that blue van has been behind us since the armdale rotary.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Well we're coming up on a good spot.” I said.

I was in the left lane, the Old Sambro Road is a right turn so I was moving as if to continue straight. We were less than a hundred meters from the intersection, I made an abrupt lane change without signaling. He was behind us in our lane, and wouldn't you know it he followed.

I sped up, seeing a break in traffic. As luck would have it the light turned green and I barely had to break as I made the corner at speed. I popped it down in to second, and floored it. We were approaching the first natural turn off point for our alleged follower. The light was green, but was stale. I flew through the intersection and went around a natural bend in the road. I kept my speed until we came to the first side street. I pulled a u-turn as fast as I could and parked the car, killing the engine.

We waited, the seconds ticked by. “Hopefully he turned off at the highway.” (the lights we just went through).

But then, there it was. Going by at speed, the driver looked up our street, and glanced at the car. It had veteran plates. I couldn't make out the number though. He was a balding white haired man that I would say was portly in appearance.

Instinct took over, I started the engine and gunned it.

“What are you doing.”

“I'm seeing where he's going.” I said.

“What do you mean?”

“If he goes straight up here, then he's definitely not following us. But if he turns at the next set of lights, he's just made a complete circle.”

I watched him make the turn onto Sussex St.

Still a good way behind him I made the turn.

“What are you doing.”

“I want to get up close to him.”

My passengers didn't seem to like this idea, I looked at the dash to see that my fuel light came on. He turned left again back on to the Herring Cove Road. I turned right, heading away to lose him and make my way to a gas station.

It was a dark blue (with a nice paint job) Dodge Caravan.

With the wild detours and dropping everyone off, it took me almost two hours to get home after the raid. That was when my neck started to hurt, and the thought crossed my mind that I should probably address that with a professional.

The internet was insisting that I should go to the hospital, but that would kill the rest of the day and it wasn't that bad. I talked to a paramedic friend of mine, he basically told me to man up. If I wasn't going to sue, then there was no point. He was right, so I settled down to relax.

Just as I was preparing to tell the story, the phone rang. It was a reporter from a national newspaper. We talked at length, and I was left with a good feeling about this being reported on. I'm far from being able to make promises though.

He asked me why I do this of course, why do I go out there? It's such a hard answer the give succinctly for someone like me. I'm just a denizen of the internet. But beyond all the beliefs about freedom of information and exchange of it, there is the fact of the taxi cab driver. This is guy why for me now too. He had my back.

It's a shame no one had his when he needed it.

People have said to me, “But are they really in Halifax. We're such a small place.”

Yes they are here, yes they hurt people. They've ripped apart families in this city, and they are willing to apply their scary tactics right here.

To the failbots reading this at OSA and in the Halifax mission, this is just the beginning. And you've pulled it in. Our resolve will only increase now.

By Justin Trottier

I've often been puzzled by the international and well-attended protests against the Church of Scientology, led by the leaderless internet group known as Anonymous since early 2008. Why target this specific religion? Why engage in protests without public spokespeople? And why wear those silly Guy Fawkes masks?

Now I have an answer, at least to that last question.

On Saturday, September 19, around 12:30pm AST, a small group met for a routine Scientology protest in Halifax in a vacant lot across from the Church of Scientology Mission at 3441 Dutch Village Rd.

As usual, many were wearing suits and had donned their Guy Fawkes masks, made famous by the film V for Vendetta. It was running just like dozens of others had around the world. They were holding banners with slogans like "Scientology is a Cult" and "whoisdavidmiscavige.com." Miscavige is Chairman of the Board of Scientology's Religious Technology Center and the acknowledged international leader of the Church. Critics accuse him of physical and emotional abuse against his staff, and a number of lawsuits filed against the church state this behavior is responsible for fostering an overall abusive environment.

Within ten minutes, protesters were approached by a woman who began making claims that they were there to promote hate and should let others believe what they want. Chris, one of the protesters, remained polite, insisting they were promoting awareness. "This isn't about beliefs," he said. "We are protesting the crimes of this individual," referring to Miscavige.

After making additional comments under her breath and taking photos with a cell phone camera, she resumed what Chris describes as Scientology's "bullbaiting tactics," calling him an idiot, a coward, a f-->
The purpose of those silly masks was brought forcefully home to Chris. Ironically, one of the woman's last comments before these actions was to ask him to remove his mask. This was the second assault to be suffered by a Scientology protester in the last two years, and the first in Canada.

Chris was cut below his right eye and left with a sore neck. The further extent of his injury isn't clear at this time.

The event itself was witnessed by two other protesters who unfortunately have chosen to remain anonymous. A local taxi driver was also at the scene and contacted police. The taxi driver, who claimed Scientology had ruined his family after his wife disconnected from him and their children for refusing to join, could not be tracked down.

A number of individuals emerged from a local pool hall, approached the woman and told her they were shocked by her actions, claiming they proved her to be part of a cult they did not want anything to do with.

Luckily the event itself was caught on tape and several photos were taken of those involved. Police have seized all evidence.

The assailant was witnessed to have also called the police herself, explaining what she had done and that she was waiting for them to arrive. She then called another individual, witnesses hearing her describing her location in front of the Scientology Life Improvement Center and exclaiming she could not believe what she had done.

Police arrested her and charged her with common assault, then released her on her own recognizance. Her plea date is November 10th, reports Staff Sargeant Sean Auld of the Halifax Regional Police Service. She reported to police that she was not a Scientologist. Her identity can not be released at this time.

The protests are part of Project Chanology, the brainchild of Anonymous. It was sparked by attempts by the Church of Scientology to remove damaging videos from the internet, in particular a famous interview with Tom Cruise, which was part of an internal Scientology recruitment video leaked onto YouTube in early 2008.

Chris, who says he has a great love for the internet and net freedom, was impressed by the notion of an internet community rising up against an oppressive organization. When he learned of the first protests, he quickly got on board. He has attended at least eight protests, including one in the United States.

The protests are about spreading information, explains Chris, who describers himself as a firm believer in the power of the protests, when done effectively, to communicate a message to people directly. He believes they are extremely well received, noting the many supportive honks by passing cars. Until now they have been mostly peaceful. Another protester, James, describes having a very cordial discussion with a Scientologist at a previous event.

As for me, if I ever get around to one of these protests, the mask is staying on.

Holy Post

Justin Trottier is Executive Director of the Centre for Inquiry Canada. www.cficanada.ca


Read more: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/holy-post/archive/2009/10/03/justin-trottier-violence-at-anti-scientology-protest.aspx#ixzz0SzC2JyTY