Anonymous VS Scientology III
12th April, 2008 – Protest against Scientology, London (Operation Reconnect)
Once again, internet-based group, Anonymous, held global protests in front of Church of Scientology centres, this time focusing on the disconnection policy, which involves members of Scientology cutting off all ties to groups deemed “suppressive” by the organisation.
Anonymous members arriving at Queen Victoria Street:
This demonstrator clearly misjudged his spacing – but I think we get the idea.
Read more about fair game here.
The lady below without the mask is Bonnie Woods. She’s a former Scientology member who was accused by the “church” of waging a hate campaign against it. You can read a short news article about this here.
I spoke to her for a while and when I told her what my website is, she said she’d been there before – I’m famous! 
I asked her why she wasn’t wearing a mask, but after hearing about her story, she doesn’t really need to be anonymous.
Check out the old school stereo. Ace.
The friendly policeman from last month’s protest was back!
He told me he’d also had a look at my website and would look out for the new pictures 
It must be quite hard smoking through that tiny gap in the mask.. for some reason it amused me.
So that’s it from Operation Reconnect. I only stayed for a short while so I’m not sure whether the turnout was just as big as last time. When I left, people were still arriving.
I still haven’t seen any newspaper coverage of the events. I had an interesting conversation with a very friendly Reuters photographer who happened to be passing by the protest and who took some pictures. I asked whether he reckoned they would be used, and why mainstream news organisations in the UK hadn’t given the protests much publicity, and he said that although the demonstration was colourful and different, it probably wasn’t particularly high on the news agenda, and that if a Scientology celebrity was in town, then it might be something more newsworthy.
It has just been pointed out to me that one of his shots was used in today’s Guardian newspaper. Perhaps it was just a case of a professional photographer picking up on the events?
In any case, another demonstration is scheduled for May. It seems as though Anonymous have no intention of backing down anytime soon.
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35 Responses to Anonymous VS Scientology III
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Hot Williz is hot.
Nice self-portrait!
http://tanya-n.com/4chan3/IMG_1908b.jpg
This one caught my eye for some reason
http://tanya-n.com/4chan3/IMG_2004b.jpg
Hey Tanya! That’s me in the first pic, thanks for that! Was in a rush then bumped into you! Anyway thanks for taking that, and yet another great coverage! :D
“Perhaps it was just a case of a professional photographer picking up on the events?”
Well, gotta admit that his picture in that edition of Guardian is pretty rad. Though I think some of your shots in this and older entries are just as good. ;) Ever tried sending them to the media?
Great coverage Tanya.
http://www.wirah.com/en/event/1/photos for moar photos
I also found the vancouver guy smoking through the mask humorous!
There are alot of amazing shots here tanya, great coverage!
Well done again!
I really like your pictures!
Specially I love this one: http://tanya-n.com/4chan3/IMG_1961b.jpg
And this one from the previous party! http://tanya-n.com/4chan2/IMG_1334b.jpg
good job! keep it up!
This is fuckin stupid. Just a bunch of British pansies too scared to protest without a mask on, who think they look cool with their “V for Vendetta” Guido Fawkes masks. Guido Fawkes would’ve bombed a church, not put on a retarded mask and held up a sign thinking, “damn I look cool… I’m totally making a difference right now…”
And furthermore, if you want to cut off all ties to groups deemed suppressive by the organization that you follow, then that’s your decision, and you should be able to do it without having to put up with a bunch of 16 “rebels”. Don’t get me wrong, I think Scientology is a horrible religion, but you still have the right to follow it, and it doesn’t even come close to the atrocities committed by the Catholic church in the past.
What I’m trying to say is PROTEST SOMETHING WORTH PROTESTING, AND DO IT WITHOUT TRYING TO HIDE YOURSELF BEHIND A MASK.
I’m sorry that was just a rant. As far as the photography goes, great job.
OK, why don’t you make a start then?
OK, why don’t you make a start then?
Left by Anonymous on April 14th, 2008
Because I don’t see any point in protesting Scientology. It’s certainly not doing as much harm as a number of other institutions. I live in the US so I’m focusing on trying to get a president who isn’t a complete idiot.
I’m not just wasting time trying to tell people something they already know e.g. Scientology is stupid. <– That is point that you obviously missed.
To FMDC, have you tried to find out WHY we wear masks? We wear masks for PROTECTION; Scientology for years have used the “Fair Game” policy against ANYBODY who openly criticises the church; this includes stalking, harassing, framing, harassing family members/friends, spreading lies about you, any form of attack possible.
I’m sure there are many people protesting about many things, but in this case we’re protesting FREEDOM OF SPEECH, we’re protest against the crimes of this cult. Everyone’s entitled to what they want to protest/support.
And just to make one thing clear, we have NOTHING against the beliefs of Scientologists; it’s actually about HELPING them. There are two sides to every story, that’s what we’re trying to get out there. Anonymous has helped many ex-scientologists/critics in fear of the crimes the Church have committed. Please do look up on websites such as xenu.net and whyweprotest.net for further information, and google things such as “Operation Snow White”, “Disconnection policy” etc if you want to see why we protest. There is so much that goes on.
Anyway not having a go at you, I just wanted to inform you on the mask-wearing and answer your questions :)
Thank you, Miss Anon. Now it all comes together. I had no idea scientologists were doing that. They aren’t that out-of-hand in California. Yeah never mind, now I see why you are protesting. I really thought it was just a bunch of kids with masks on holding up signs that say Scientology sucks, kinda like a bunch of vegetarians holding up signs that say meat is murder. I now have a newfound respect for Anonymous.
Apparently, some see it proper to spew diatribes without first having done any homework.
Scientology is well worth investigating. The atrocities of this organization (used for lack of a better term) are many and far reaching. The allegations, assertions and charges include but are NOT limited to: death threats and death; extensive abuse of children as young as two weeks old; non education of children; child labor law violations; and stalking many who have left the church.
This organization is NOT an ordinary CULT and should not be considered one. IT IS a very dangerous NON policed organization! They NEED TO BE SHUT DOWN and HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN A COURT OF LAW, AND SENTENCED SEVERELY.
BUT I have NEVER ever understood what human condition could cause ANYONE at all to join such a sect. IT totally baffles me. ARE people that fragmented and unwholesome? I just do not understand the weakness that causes one to join such a horrid sect. BUT that is just me. Part of the interest for me in trying to understand this very concept.
Tanya, I appreciate you and your work very much indeed. Thank you.
Please, please. please keep this up. I just wish I had the funds to attend a protest.
Wish I could have been there.
Theres over 1000 photos here – http://www.wirah.com/event/1/photos
(and videos http://www.wirah.com/en/event/1/videos)
This is the dumbest fucking thing I have ever seen.
Protest something that matters… and try not to look to smug and self satisfied while you’re at it.
Such a non-issue.
Bandit I am addressing you directly.
You are the dumbest f’ing thing I have ever seen but I expect you to top your own status at such.
IT is YOUR type that cries the loudest when government and institution take over and LIFE’s basic freedom’s! A “NON-ISSUE” is YOUR moronic and hateful post! BTW: what matters to you? The next pizza and movie you will be watching? The next video game you can purchase and play? GO AWAY! Adults are conversing now. Go play and be a good child.
NOTE: Scientology is NOT just in Europe, IT IS ALL OVER THE WORLD. The U.S.A. is also home to this organization and this institution is also affecting American Families not to mention just how far reaching it is.
As I posted earlier, SCIENTOLOGY IS WELL WORTH INVESTIGATING. THE SITE Below IS VERY INFORMATIVE and I HAVE researched most of the legal case sites and stories within. This may shed some light on why this group is smart enough to conduct their protests anonymously.
http://www.whyaretheydead.net/childabuse/bsm.html
My kid brother left my family to become a scientologist. We can’t find him, we haven’t heard from him, and his phone got shut off. If by any chance you see this, we love you Dan. Come home. Love, Matt.
Keep a look out for kids like dan. Don’t let your kids fall for this shit.
Cause you don’t know how much you’ll miss them.
-Matt
FMDC, not a problem whatsoever! Thank you for listening, I know from the outside you only see so much, but any questions, there’s no harm in asking! It’s hard when you don’t see the crimes right infront of you, but the Co$ do all that they can to hide it, but there we go :) Thank you for your response!
And Matt, I hope your brother goes back to you and your family. Know that we are 100% behind you and will help and support you.
The whole point of /b/ was for people to be terrible monsters.
Now that anon has the world on its side, its lost all the fun.
Go back to posting gore and child porn.
I’m not for the Church of Scientology in any way, in fact, quite the opposite, but the way Anonymous comes across is as a bunch of immature online prats, that are trying to bring their cliched repetitive slogans to an arena that they thing wants to hear.
There’s much better things to protest against.
Just to point out that I try where possible to answer back to people directly via email (at least if a valid email address is provided).
“Go back to posting gore and child porn”<–if that’s directed at me, I never considered myself to be into those subjects, so I have clearly learnt something new about my work!
“There’s much better things to protest against.” <– I have to defend the protesters against this point. Protests (at least in London) are frequent and cover a wide range of topics that are often in the news (Tibet/Burma/animal testing/Iraq War/war generally), and therefore known by many people, and which are probably deemed more “important” as a result. Scientology may not be something prevalent in the news (at least not unless it’s concerning celebrity followers), and it’s certainly not something people around me tend to have a lot of knowledge about, but it has clearly affected many people in a negative way. That is enough justification for a protest.
Tanya, he was referring to /b/tards. Some of them fail to see the humour in the IRL raids. I personally find it funny how a group of fat nerds jerking off to child porn on the internets actually have a chance to take down a somewhat large organization. That’s where the real lulz are to be had. Taking down child molesters is small stuff. And also ironic for most of /b/ but that’s besides the point.
Scientology protesters can go to someplace very hot and fiery. I got scared the shit out of on a fucking subway because some idiots were dressed up like terrorists and gas-bomb people just to wave some goddamn signs in the air. They say Scientology is a cult? THEY are the cult.
Ya know.. I always thought Scientology was kind of dumb and cult-ish, but I never knew they basically banned you from talking to your own family.
Matt: I hope you find your brother. And to anyone else affected by this, I hope it gets better. I’d pray for you, but I’m an atheist, so it might not do any good. :(
Just know I’m supporting you guys.
And thanks Tanya, for the awesome photos.
Help us bring WiseBeardMan to London!! http://www.wirah.com/en/fund/1
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All cults are worthy of protest, whether it’s Scientology or Eckankar or some other scam. But Scientology has a long history of criminal activity and destroying people’s lives, not only injuring members through brainwashing and distortions, but by protesters and ex members whom they hassle endlessly. It’s a sickness of the mind that creates these groups and they are usually begun by sociopathic types. You’d be well to read about Sociopathy to better understand why these groups and their leaders are so destructive and full of lies. I used to respect Will Smith, but no more since he went over to the dark side. It’s only a matter of time before he destroys his family and all that he holds dear. Shame.
Galgoing,
I forgot, adults are having a very serious discussion about dressing up like un-credible dipshits in feather masks with stupid t-shirts attempting to get other adults who actually believe in Scientology for whatever soft-minded reason to come join their merry-prankster “i dont actually know how to protest” protest.
And since you’re interested, I have been busy protesting the effects of depleted uranium on civilian children in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Fail.
I love these photos, I also wondered how I could get hold of one of those masks, anyone know? I’ve love to join these protest but unfortunately I happen to live in New Zealand which is quite a far way off.
I looked at a lot of the links here of the protests groups and agree that scientology is just not acceptable. And Bandit why don’t you just fuck off aye? You protest about what you want to protest against and let them protest against what they want. Everyone has a different perspectives and from where one is there are things that appear more important to protest against. And who are you to tell these people not to protest when you yourself are protest against similar rights abuses. Not to mention once their protest is successful in making changes they may just as well move on to protest exactly what your protesting or maybe things bigger.
As a protester against human rights abuses you can’t just go around contradicting yourself by dissing these people who are protesting against human rights abuse also. So ah why don’t you.
Fial.