CPS gives scientology religious protection in UK

[lionheart]

I can (sort of) understand how they protect scientologists as far as them having a viewpoint, but I DO NOT get how calling them a cult can be prosecuted...

I posted on whyweprotest to see if anyone knows the difference between the US and Britain's free speech laws because, in the US legal system, we protect ANY form of speech where there is the potential for truth. I find it absurd that vocalizing something that is not only an opinion, but fact, can be criminalized.

There is a lot of research out there that illustrates exactly how and why Scientology IS a cult- so I don't get this law.

In the end, I guess it is small potatoes... they still don't get tax breaks in the UK like the do in the states. Considering the whole thing is about $$$$, the scientologists haven't really gained anything over there, right? Does anyone know what percentage of the church's base is in the UK? I am sure it is so small that the members from there only make up a super small percentage of the COS revenue...

Calling them a cult can't be prosecuted! That's the whole point!

That day last summer, after CofS complaints, the inspector's seniors had ordered him to arrest anyone showing the word. That's not the same as prosecuting them. After Epic Nose Guy was arrested, the CPS backed down and he wasn't prosecuted.

This actually was a green light for us to use the word. So next month we had banners and thanked the CofS for allowing us to call them a cult!

The religious hatred act allows us to ridicule and criticise the CofS. The law is as Scud has outlined above.

But a safe course of action would always be to quote a judges or governments findings against Scn. You could never be arrested for that!

They do get tax breaks in the UK because they operate under the Australian charity COSRECI. This is being worked on by exes at government level in both Australia and the UK.

Hope that clarifies things for you and others.

 

[lionheart]

On one point in your otherwise accurate summary of the Epic Nose Affair (!) I disagree. My impression from the resulting spat between the CPS and the Toytown police was that the CPS had given some not 100% clear advice, the police had read into it what they wanted to read rather than what it actually said, and the result was the arrest.
It was highly unusual for the CPS to publicly give the police an instant slapping like that. Normally they would have buried the file at the bottom of their 'In' tray and waiting until the Media had lost interest.

Scudmuffin here and Basil reposted from WWP, both UK Anons, are correct. This may well be a confused media report.

Back to the OP: as I posted on WWP I think the ruling (if it ever existed) is correct since I think Scientology IS a religion. Its adherents deserve the same protection under the Act as other believers.

That is not the problem. The problem is that 99% of 'outsiders' think this means the CoS is a religion, the CoS will spin it that way, and even some of you lot who should know better think so. So there will be problems, and I really hope the CPS is unofficially and through back channels telling the police that they should err on the side of caution. I hope, but I'm not hopeful.

Re your first paragraph. As far as I remember the exact words the Inspector used to me was that his "seniors and the police lawyers had looked at video of past pickets and had decided the word cult was against the Public Order Act". I took that to mean the CPS had given this advice, but his exact words were seniors and police lawyers.

I referred him to the Religious Hatred Act and he said he was not there to interpret the law but to carry out his orders. He was perfectly civil and gave advice on which posters were ok for that day. He thanked me for keeping calm and "not getting angry". It's all on video of that day's protests.

You are right the CPS dropped the charges very quickly compared to what is usual for them.

I agree that the CofS will spin this supposed decision that their beliefs should come under the religious hatred act to mean they are recognised as a religion. That will be their spin. Maybe the news report came via them?

As I've said any protestor wanting to err on the side of caution, yet still make pointed criticism simply have to quote Judge Latey, etc.

 

[RolandRB]

They tried that and failed. They also said that brumanons were scaring the children inside the org. The coppers turned up and said 'lets see these kids then'. There weren't any.

Coppers in brum are generally used to the cult now and it's getting rare we get a copper who has a go. mostly they just want to check how many people are here.

They were child freed body thetans. Just because the aberrated Brum cops couldn't see them doesn't mean they were not there.

I remember when I was outside the London Org on TCR shouting "SCIENTOLOGY SAYS YOU'RE FULL OF DEAD SPACE ALIENS" so loud it could be heard at the Euston Tower and Centre Point but shouting it ever so quiet when the course sup came out to complain about the noise and the cops told him that with all the traffic noise they couldn't hear me.

As Alan points out, I was the first to use OT3 materials in a big way at protests and I am immensely proud of that. I can breathe my last breath with a smug, hardened grimace on my face.

 

[ScudMuffin]

Dude, you know what you need? You need a troll cannon. Seriously, why thrash your lungs like that?

http://www.lifeismusic.co.uk/PA/BEHRINGER-EUROPORT-EPA40-40-Wa-4204.aspx

Sit there and play this

Beastie Boys/ L. Ron Hubbard Scientology Mix