Anonymous VS Scientology in Vancouver

[naturemonkeyirrepressible]

taken from a local site:

So I went downtown today to take a look at the scientology protest by Anonymous. As I walked towards the offices, it looked like a typical Sunday; a few people on the sidewalk, but mostly empty streets.



As I got closer to the scientology offices, however, I saw the people out in front of the scientology offices. Not a bad turnout, all things considered!



Not as many, but still; a signholder and some pamphlet tossers! I start to cross the street yet again...and what should I see?



yep, that's right. A third group of anonymous. Now, at this point, you're probably thinking "hah. 20 people. Look at those internet nerds just geeking away. But before you finish that thought, you should see this:



This sign was responded to by a chorus of boos by the crowd, however let it not be said that a group without a leader cannot take initiative.



I proceeded at that point, to work the crowd, acquiring the aforementioned pamplets and leaflets. While there, I ran in to two people who I recognized (while they were part of the protest, they were oddly not anonymous, not wearing masks and showing their faces freely), who fortunately returned the favour I gave him by not acknowledging me with anything more than a nod.

As I wondered through the crowd, however, I was confronted by the most disturbing part of the entire protest.



This guy. He's a member/worker/part of the CoS, and was wandering through the crowd using a videocamera to record peoples' faces, and the actions of the crowd.

Now, while I can understand using a videocamera on the protesters, monitoring any trouble, dealing with any problems, I was thoroughly creeped out with how he acted towards me.

I was carrying a camera, and had been wandering through the crowds asking for information, taking pictures, and just generally getting a feel for the situation. He saunters over from the main doors of the scientology building, walks behind me, and then circles around in front as I'm taking pictures to get a shot of my face.


While I don't actually fear for any kind of retribution, it is an interesting psychological tactic, and highly orwellian. What it says is, "We're watching.". And to be honest, it was the most unsettling part of the entire protest. As I took that picture, he moved his videocamera in front of his face to try and hide it--an odd action for someone who is undoubtedly "Simply taking these videos for our own protection and to ensure that no damage or harm comes to scientology property". At least, that's probably what their PR people and spinmasters will have to say about it.



In any case, I decided to take one last group picture before I took off (plans with friends) and snapped this one, and it looks to me as though the crowd had grown in the half-hour I was there.



As I got on the bus to go back home, and it slowed near the protest again, guess who I saw across the street from the actual church?



Yep. It's him. Again.

Seriously, he gave me the fucking creeps.




All in all, I thought it was a very well-organized and well-done protest. There was one crazy guy yelling and on the megaphone, but he seemed to have some serious emotional beef with the Church, which actually interested me. When we think about these kinds of things, we think in terms of past statistics, we think in terms of large groups, and, if you'll forgive the term, Anonymous people who aren't really us.

Several times, people honked their horns spontaneously, and to be honest, I was quite surprised at the variety of people who were honking and giving support. A shitty old 80s tercel beater, an E46 bimmer, several busses, a couple trucks, a guy riding a bicycle flipping scientologists the finger...it seems like anonymous was right; they truly ARE all walks of life, not just the youthful computer nerds (although it seemed that they were in the majority).


The most informative of all the documents is available online, and it outlines the rationales behind the protests, as well as the goals Anonymous has set for themselves.

http://docs.google.com/view?docid=dcgn7gtc_12d3f8hsd2


The scientologists were much less agressive about handing out their materials, and seemed simply to have L Ron Hubbard's dianetics book out for sale, along with an E-meter (the thing they use for testing). Around 12.40 or so, they started to play what seemed to be a recruiting speech with background music, but it wasn't loud enough to be carried over the sound of traffic, so I haven't a clue what was said.


Final feelings: It was an orderly protest, but I'm not entirely sure how much was accomplished, at least at this one. There is another protest scheduled for Sunday the 24th, and if they keep them up, then perhaps they'll finally make an impact.

Personally, I had no specific negative feelings towards scientology, and I always kind of laughed when I heard about them doing recruitment drives, and thought that people who said they were being followed or videotaped by scientologists were paranoid or just the exception.

I can honestly say that while I don't have negative feelings towards scientology, I feel distinctly uneasy thinking about their reaction to the protest.

Next up: signs spotted at the protest.

Scientology and me part 1

Scientology and me part 2

Scientology and me part 3

Scientology and me part 4

[shellmae80]

This is quite the thread.

Well done, good sir.

[tracy♥music]

i've seen videos of the creepy cos dudes with videocameras before. they probably send the videos to xenu to blacklist or something. :runaway:

[GrantandLisa]

I kinda wished everyone ended up wearing a guy fawkes mask, if only to not give the cos any satisfaction in seeing faces.

[AppleHead]

i wish there was a place not to far from me to go to, looks pretty intresting.

[MYDOGSALY]

a bit more stuff here:

[Toms500]

good turnout, a lot better than other pics ive seen in /b/

[WalterP]

When is the next attack from anon scheduled?

[HayleyV]

If the pictars are still up on /b/ you should check out the Hollywoodfags. Shit was epic. 2,000 give or take I believe, not quite sure.

[Aninha]

I went to the raid in Richmond. :tup: