From: wbarwell@Starbase.NeoSoft.COM (William Barwell)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology,comp.org.eff.talk,misc.legal.computing
Subject: Re: Biased Journalism V3no6 Henson Stealth Picket
Date: 28 Sep 1997 00:10:45 -0500
Message-ID: <60kosl$h2h$1@Starbase.NeoSoft.COM>
In article <sthomsonEH705G.M3G@netcom.com>, shelley thomson <sthomson@netcom.com> wrote:
**Biased Journalism** Volume 3, issue 6 September 26, 19971. UFOs, Spray Paint, and PIs: Adventures at Cedars
by H. Keith Henson
Degrado the Survivalist Clown's survival tips.
After a walk around the whole block and two or three passes back and forth along the west side of the building (which seemed to have the most activity) a scientologist maybe in his 20s in a dark suit calmly walked straight up in front to me, grabbed my sign stick right under the cardboard and started spraying my sign with a can of red paint. To put it mildly I was startled. Fortunately, the stick on that sign is a short pool cue that was not about to break and I was able to get both hands on it while the attacker only had one. The attacker was a
This kids, is a no no. Don't do this. Why? Because in many states and cities, it is illegal to picket using a sign that could be used as a weapon. And in many places it ain't, it is illegal to carry something like a pool cue that could be used as a weapon. Here in Texas, it could get you arrested for carrying a blunt instrument, a club.
A cop that doesn't like being rousted out of a doughnut shop to check out your picket, could if he or she desires, cause you great hassles over such a thing as a stout stick, especially a cut down pool cue, an old biker's weapon.
If you want to be legal and stuff, use a cardboard tube. Art supply stores usually have a good selection, some rather stout but passing legal muster. Or try stores specializing in boxes, shelving and packaging materials.
Too, you don't want a stick an out of control clam can use against you if you do lose control of the stick in a tussle. Unless you have the martial arts skills to deal with it. Being beaten with a cut off pool cue would not be a good experience unless you are looking for martydom.
little taller than I am but lighter. I dragged him still spraying out onto the brick roadway (not wishing to get onto Cedars property during the incident) and kind of scraped him off on a parked car.
If the clam gains control of the stick back off immediately. If he chases you and hits you, it's a worse legal problem for him. Make him have to catch you if it comes to that.
Once I broke his grip on the sign, he immediately ran away, going inside Cedars while I fumbled for my camera but failed to get a photo. The chaplain and my escorts did not seem surprised, and were clearly disappointed that the red paint did not do much of a job obscuring the words.
No ethics here.
About 15 minutes later a guy in a red shirt tried it again with black paint. I ended that try the same way but even faster. It is interesting to see which words they went after. Xenu I expected, but they seemed just as upset at Lisa's name and the dollar figure for the "bridge" Hubbard sold them.
This was assault pure and simple.
Well, when the second clam approached, you should have pulled out the pepper spray and held it aloft so he could see what it was. You didn't bring pepper spray? Well ...
Make sure you get the fogger kind ...
I was more together this time and got photos 12 and 13 of the black paint guy running away and inside.
You should be filing charges and giving the cops copies.
I didn't realize it at the time, but the big banner you can see in 13 was to keep people inside from seeing my sign. At one point later when I was going down to a market for some water, they marched that banner between me and Sunset. Of course, my pool cue sign stick let me hold my sign higher than the silly banner.
Another good thing about cardboard tubes, you can make telescoping sections. So it you have a sign with a 3 foot tube, and they have a sign, you could add another three foot section and have instantly, a six foot tall sign.
The order goes out, "They are bringing banners! Break out 3 foot sign extensions! Fix three foot sign extensions! Charge!"
blowup of his face. Photo 17 is a close up of the sprayed sign. After the altercations with paint, I commented that they were raising the ante, had they given thought to what that might release? I don't think they got it at all. But I sure would not be a bit surprised to see a lot more activity with Xen/mu and spray paint. Make it neat and literary though. There is a lot to be said for stencils.
Breakaways. Several signs on a placard done with tape. If one gets messed up, remove it and you have one beneath. You can change signs several times just for the hell of it.
****************** Deleted ******************
After picking up some water at a convenience store I headed back toward Cedars on Sunset. My escort clams had mostly dropped off, but three of them, the two with signs and one other, picked me up again as I left the store. The one without a sign made an attempt to grab my Xemu flyers within the first block, but failed because I had a good grip on them, in spite of also holding a water bottle. I stopped to rearrange things with my back to a wall.Photo 18 is a view east along Sunset from about the location where my car was parked. Photo 19 is closer to the east corner of the block. Lisa can be seen over one of the escort signs. Photo 20 is looking at the north end of the Cedars building from the Sunset side of the parking lot. It was getting close to 11:30 by the time I got back from the Xemu flyer, and sprinted for the main Cedars entrance. I chased him a short distance, but running with a sign isn't very efficient. Elliot was embarrassed about his client's behavior and felt obliged to apologize, but he didn't offer to recover the flyers stolen from me. (I
Another illegal act. Should have come back and filed charges. Abelson should be a good witness.
should have asked.) I wonder what the obligations are of a lawyer who observes misdemeanor or possibly felony acts in public by someone working for his client? I made it known to Elliot that they had raised the ante in the whole world wide battle, and that people would now feel much less restrained in what they did to CoS, especially if it involved flyers and spray paint. Elliot looked very unhappy, but he did not saying anything.
Be prepared part XVIII. If you have lots of gear, cameras, water bottles, notepads and other gear, use a small back pack or belt pack. Leaves your hands free and allows you to carry more gear. A belt pack or fanny pack is preferable.
Notepads, as found out by the people here who picket clan rallies and such over the years, always carry pads and pens. Good for taking witnesses names and address, annotating photograph info, taking license plate and badge numbers, etc. Carry them where you can get to them. Carry extra pens. It can be a life saver in case of legal hassles. Get used to taking notes visibly. This makes people who might want to start something nervous.
It means you are ready and keenly observing what is going on around you.
If it looks like trouble is brewing, start taking obvious notes.
If some fool gets agitated, and several people note that, and he does some stunt, it will be easier to sort it out when the cops get there if notes have been taken. It cools agitated cops out too.
Wish Keith had had a Sony Pressman in his shirt pocket running.
Degrado the Survivalist Clown.