Scientology case dropped
Charges against a teenage anti-Scientology demonstrator have been dropped, the BBC reports.
The CPS are denying that they advised the City of London Police that the sign carried by the teenager which said “Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult” constituted an “an offence under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986”.
So were the police misinformed, mistaken, or simply lying? We may well find out, because Liberty are considering action. Their legal director James Welch said:
At last an outbreak of common sense; but pretty worrying for free speech that the police even threatened this young man with prosecution.
They may have ended their inquiries into this tawdry incident but rest assured that Liberty’s inquiry will continue. Democracy is all about clashing ideas and the police should protect peaceful protest, not stifle it.
(Hat tip Bartholomew)
Scientology was invented by a man who stated decades ago that the fastest way to become rich was to create a religion. Can’t believe how many people have been taken in.
Is this the point in proceedings that we find out that certain police officers might be members of the cult of scientology and/or certain members of the CPS? I’m just asking….
Alex, we already know that certain police officers are members of the cult of scientology. There is nothing illegal about that. I would think the point of the proceedings is to find out how on earth the Central London Police justify the action they took.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read the original story. It still frightens and outrages me that it started in the first place. Sounds like these officers would be quite at home on the streets of Beijing…
Although I’m delighted to hear common sense has prevailed, I still say that we should be careful to brand Scientology (religion) as a cult since as practiced it’s really no different to Catholicism, Islam, etc. in having imaginary friends and baddies. The story behind it is equally epic (and dumb) but it’s had less time to become part of our culture. Also, we’re wiser, in the main, to bullshit these days. 😉
What counts here is it’s the CHURCH of Scientology that’s dangerous. That’s the organisation which seeks to stifle those who dare speak against it. It was the Church (or members thereof) that’s implicated in the numerous deaths and large number of litigations against dissenters: even after Hubbard’s “Fair Game” treatise was rescinded.
In fact, if you want to fight organised religion (and the stifling of free speech and freedom of expression) you only have to hold up the CoS as a shining example of what just about every religion does. It’s just the new kid on the block.
The CoS has killed people – it’s a cult, we opine… but what about Christians or Muslims? How man people are killed in the name of their God every fucking day? Another soldier died this morning in a religious battle and more blood will be shed before any of this goes away.
Sure, Scientology’s [even “squirrels”] are fucking deluded idiots; sure, we have to keep people aware of how dangerous their church is, but never take your eye off the ball: all religion is dangerous. Christianity perhaps even more so.
The likes of Dog-[Bird]-Shit Green may come over a complete oaf, but his like are all over the Conservative party and that’s a recipie for women’s rights to control what goes on in their bodies to be go down the pan in a couple of years.
I don’t think it’s just the stupidity of the police, though they often are, but with new labour changing the laws every 2 minutes it’s probably a bit of challenge for them to work out the laws they’re supposed to be enforcing. I’m still not clear on the ‘religious hatred bill’. Apparently it kind of went through?! I should look. But there’s so much ambiguity these days between the right to free speech and not causing “offence” under the public order act.
Uhm, so it’s not a cult, but a religion? Like Islam and Catholicism? Can somebody tell me the difference between cult and religion? In my book a group of people with a strong common belief in semi-fictional characters and metaphysical events, all connected through a constructed and screwy story line, are exactly that: A cult. Kind of a less nice word for religion?
Religion is acceptable, cults are not.
A dog by any other name…
There’s been another case like this in Scotland – http://www.sundayherald.com/misc/print.php?artid=2310565
How about a placard saying ‘Scientology is a CU*T’ – that way people can decide for themselves if the ‘*’ should be a ‘L’ or an ‘N’?
[…] police, apparently oblivious to the bad publicity their City of London counterparts recently brought upon themselves, ordered anti-Scientology protesters to take down banners accusing the sinister sci-fi organisation […]