Open letter:Police
From EdinburghLulz
This thread deals with this letter
Sent: 11th June 2008, 17.30pm This is an open Letter to the Lothian and Borders Police from the group known as 'Anonymous', regarding the anti-Scientology protests in Edinburgh.
Sender's details
Name: "Storm Trooper Guy"
Mobile: 0751 2973305
Email: anon1344@googlemail.com
Contents |
Open Letter to the Lothian and Borders Police
Every month since February of this year, the group called Anonymous have conducted peaceful worldwide protests against the organisation known as Scientology. In Edinburgh, these protests have taken place on South Bridge and Hunters Square. On each occasion the Lothian and Borders Police have very kindly volunteered their resources to ensure our protection against the kind of repressive activity that we have witnessed Scientology take against protesters in other countries; actions including stalking and assault. The members of Anonymous are very grateful for the help of the Police. It is with great regret, therefore that we must take issue with recent police intimidation against our members, coupled with unreasonable conditions imposed on us at protests.
Police intimidation
I refer to these these incidents:
- Sunday 1st June 2008, South Bridge, Edinburgh, outside the Hubbard Academy of Personal Independence. Exercising their right to peaceful protest, six members of Anonymous picketed the organisation, handing out flyers to inform the public about the practice of abuse by the Scientology organisation. At 3 pm, two police officers arrived in response to a complaint made by Scientologists. Three protesters were immediately threatened with arrest for breaching the peace, if they did not cross to the other side of the road. The protesters complied. The police then insisted on taking the details of all six protesters present (name, address, date and place of birth) under the threat of arrest for breaching the peace. All six protesters complied.
- On the same day at the same location, at 4 pm, one member of Anonymous arrived at the scene with a stereo and handed out flyers to inform the public about the abuses of Scientology. Two police officers arrived, threatened to take away the stereo and threatened to arrest the protestor under the powers of the Serious and Organised Crime Act 2007, section 45. The protestor complied with police demands and withdrew from the area.
For both incidents, we maintain that we have done nothing wrong, and had every right to continue with our activities, regardless of complaints from the Scientologists. We assert to you that the complaints from Scientologists have no founding in common sense, or the law. To make this clear, I draw attention to a doctrine of Scientology as written by L Ron Hubbard, the founder:
"The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway, well knowing that he is not authorized, will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly." L Ron Hubbard - A Manual on the Dissemination of Material (1955)
We in Edinburgh have never harassed or intimidated the Scientologists. In fact, on several occasions at our previous protests, and indeed on the day in question, two Scientology parishioners were comfortable enough to engage in long conversations with our members. Indeed, while three protestors were handing out flyers outside the HAPI on Sunday 1st, one Scientologist came outside to have a cigarette and a civil chat. He quickly and understandably went inside as the police officers approached to threaten the protestors with arrest. We are fully aware of the laws regarding intimidation and harassment, and we are confident that we have broken none. Nor has any of the public outside of Scientology complained of bad behaviour on our part.
The personal stereo in question is not loud; its sound is drowned out by the numerous buses that travel along the road. There is no chance that it could have caused special annoyance to anyone inside the Scientology building.
We put it to you that one or more members of the Hubbard Academy of Personal Independence are using aspects of the law, and the Lothian and Borders police, to intimidate and harass our peaceful activities. Furthermore, we are near certain that Gordon Reid is partly or wholly responsible for this, given his attitude towards us at protests (sniping comments, and occasional denial of our existence). Our complaint to you is that your powers are being abused to the point of suppressing our right to the freedom of peaceful expression and assembly.
We request that all acts of intimidation, even where unintended, cease. If at any point we are threatened with arrest again, it should be done in reference to criminal behaviour, and not as a way to ensure compliance. If any of our members are arrested in the future, we will expect you to prosecute, and any failure to do so may prompt us into legal action.
Conditions, bureaucracy, and responsibility
In Edinburgh, we believe that Anonymous have proven themselves to be peaceful and law-abiding. We believe that the bureaucratic procedures that we follow are largely unnecessary given our peaceful history. Given this, we will continue to comply with these procedures where it does not hinder our ability to protest effectively. For example, we understand that there is no legal obligation on our part to obtain protest permits. This does, however, seem to be a matter of policy for the council and the police. We will continue to apply for these permits, but will contest any condition we deem to be unreasonable. We reserve the right not to comply with unreasonable and non-negotiable conditions that the council and police impose on our protests in future. We do, however, remain open to consultation and advice before and during any protest.
Some of the bureaucratic conditions that we have experienced and contest are:
- the prohibition of protestors to hand out flyers immediately outside the HAPI, where no Scientologists are present
- the prohibition of stereos on the street, where noise levels are not excessive
- the insistence of protest permits for small protests of 6 people or less outside the HAPI
In the past, we have had various other conditions imposed on us (such as the prohibition of the word 'cult' in our placards). These conditions are unreasonable, and achieve nothing more than pander to Scientologists' complaints, which would not stand up in court. Neither can we find any legislation to support these conditions. Further, these conditions are infringing on our freedom of expression, to the point of making the experience of protest intimidating, ill-tempered and stifling; we want it to be enjoyable, creative and positive.
We fully understand our responsibility for the safety and well being of the public (including Scientologists'), with or without council and police intervention. We hope that the Lothian and Borders police can accept this, and allow us more liberty than we have been offered. We look forward to hearing from you regarding these issues I have raised.
Yours Sincerely,
Anonymous, Edinburgh
Important notice for 14th June protest
In response to Scientologists using Hunters Square for their own event, Anonymous has decided to move our protest to Castle Street. However, we feel that it is lawful, appropriate and reasonable to make a short appearance at Hunters Square to be heard and recognised alongside Scientologists. At 1 pm, around a hundred members of Anonymous will arrive at Hunters Square and remain for a period of up to 30 minutes, at which point we will disperse. We will be orderly, peaceful, entertaining, and mostly frozen on the spot with lips sealed. There will be no intimidating or harassing behaviour from us. Please let your officers know they should consult with the protestors with armbands if any issues arise at the short event.
