From: tonym@mail.mpx.com.au (Tony McClelland) Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology Subject: Re: A win for Scientology in Australia - McClelland arrested Date: Sat, 04 May 1996 23:53:55 GMT Message-ID: <4mgu9k$o3p@inferno.mpx.com.au> Sister Clara <clara@holsoft.demon.co.uk> wrote: >In article <4mbbb6$731@inferno.mpx.com.au> > tonym@mail.mpx.com.au (Tony McClelland) wrote: >> >> I was the sole demonstrator and I carried a sandwich board >> reading >> SCIENTOLOGY >> A >> CONFIDENCE >> TRICK? >> I handed out 200 leaflets until I was forcefully arrested and >> taken to George Street Police station. When I was released >> and advised the Police that I was returning to continue >> my demonstration they confiscated my sandwich board. >> The police claimed that they had received a very large >> number of complaints about my presence. >> >On what grounds were you arrested, Tony? Has it now become illegal to >demonstrate in Australia? What has the number of complaints to do with this? >It sounds to me like the police were abusing their powers in this case. The Police claimed that I was disturbing the peace. I argued that I am most careful no to be impolite or to use force, conversely I was ,abused, called f### on numerous occasions, and worse, and pushed and on occasion carried away from "hot spots" by Scientologists. I asked the Police, how I caused the disturbance and I was advised "you were carrying a sign Scientology, A, Confidence, Trick? (4 lines)" I future I will change the sign to read A, Confidence, Trick? Scientology (4 lines) I received considerable abuse from some of the public who thought I was advertising for Scientology and yet again I made the mistake of using the "S" word first I do not accept that I was disturbing the peace. It seems that In Australia, the Politicians, Police and the Media fear the power of the abusive CofS. I still believe that a solo demonstrator beats the hell out of zero. Regards Tony McClelland >For goodness' sake, one individual carrying a sandwich board and some >leaflets is reckoned to intimidate 1000 people? >You must be a mighty powerful thetan, Tony, if you scare so many >Scientologists to that extent. I think it is time to contact the Australian >equivalent of the ACLU as I think your civil liberties have been grossly >violated by the police. >-- >Sister Clara - SP4 - Magpie - LoX >Little Sisters of the Perpetually Juicy >This posting is copyright of the First Church of Juicyology.