March 11, 2001 - Gregg Hagglund
Toronto Org was picketed on Sunday , March 11, from 12 noon to 3 PM.
Highlights:
Picketers: Peter Alexander and Patricia Greenway, Gregg Hagglund, Alan Barclay, Mike Argue, Witling, Kaeli and Zeratul.
Flyer Count: 300 flyers of all types
Major Occurrences
Police admonish Rambo Ramsay to keep his distance from Gregg Hagglund.
Al Buttnor officially back as DSA.
This Picket was dedicated to Raptavio and Rich Ahrens who have recently been harassed by the Co$ OSA.
15 Photos posted to alt.binaries.scientology
Toronto Ontario
March 11, 2001
The timing of this first picket of the Fifth Year of the Toronto Demonstrations was principally dictated by the work schedule of Peter Alexander and Patricia Greenway.
TFC execs Peter and Patricia were in Toronto finishing some post production work on their film "The Profit". They contacted me and wondered if we were planning a picket or could we set one up. As it turns out the local contingent of the ARSCC(wdne) had already begun plans to picket on either the 9, 10 or 11 of March. TFC post work was to be completed on th e10 so Sunday March 11 became the finalized date.
We met at the usual coffee shop at 11:30 am. Peter had to shop for a new tuque as the weather had turned a little colder and the downtown winds can be moist and therefore freezing.
I called 52 Division Foot Patrol at 11:45 AM. I let them know who we were and what we would be up to for the next few hours.
The sudden appearance of seven Sps at the door really upset poor Mario, who manages the Dianetics Bookstore and Suckers Trap. (Witling, our 8th picketer, did not show until 12:30 PM. He was getting his eyes fixed.)
We could see Marios' dream of selling two or three books that day completely vanish.
We also caught the SeaOrg off guard as to the command and control of its current minor enrollment of victims. About a dozen unfortunates arriving for indoctrination and mindbending exercises, were treated to part of OT3 as they were herded into the "Chapel". Many responded to the call "Canadians are not afraid to ask questions!" and "There are no OTs or we wouldn't be here!" with startled looks.
The first of the Goon Squad to respond were Bob and Val Hill. I asked Bob some questions about his ripping people off as an FSM, but all he wanted to do was spew some insanity about my wife being lobotomized. Bob is obviously mentally ill, but at least this time he was sober.
The Goon squad made not real effort to continue the obnoxious verbal assaults of last year. Perhaps this was because they had not received a Notice and had no chance to organize their harassing counter activities. Goon Squad ObergrubenFeuher Brian MacPherson did not show until almost 1 P.M.
Brian accused me of calling him: "Scientology asshole" at the last Picket of 2000 in late December. I had to correct him. I told him I had actually called him a "Scientology idiot who acted like an asshole at the bidding of the OSA.".
I also pointed out that was a fair summation of the local OSA Volunteer Goon Squad in general as they have been involved in slandering me and my friends , libeling picketers to employers and acquaintances, stalking picketers, threatening my siblings, terrorizing my parents, libeling and stalking my wife, engaging in attempts at intimidation via email and snail mail, theft of property, attempted burglary, assault, and Intellectual Property Theft and TradeMark Infringement, to say the least.
Therefore, I thought it a mild rebuke to address Brian as a "Scientology idiot who acted like an asshole at the bidding of the OSA.".
Speaking of assholes and violent thugs: Peter Ramsay showed up at about 2 PM. He soon decided to approach me babbling the whole time about Zenon. I told him to keep his distance as he had stalked and assaulted me before. Peter came right up to me despite my request. I backed away, almost into street traffic. Ramsay kept coming after me. I thought he was in one of his violent phases and, in fear, I kept retreating. Ramsay pursued me and Kaeli, Peter and Patricia tried to intervene, but of course they could not touch Ramsay and he simply stepped around them trying to get closer to me. He had his hands in his pockets and I was afraid he might have a knife. I kept away from him and finally, as I called the police on my cel phone he stopped chasing me about.[*]
The police response was immediate. Two officers responded. As I explained the situation to the first Officer, I was repeatedly interrupted by scientologists, including Bob Hill and some woman OSA member. The cop told them to back off and took the particulars.OSA kept taking the Cops pictures while talking to me. This annoyed the cops a lot. The Officer and his partner then interviewed Ramsay. Ramsay claimed we were personal enemies and he was just retaliating for my personal attacks on him. [This is a lie of course, as I have not stalked, assaulted or stolen anything of his.]
The Police Officers then reviewed my video tape of the incident. They agreed Ramsay was harassing, but as a singular incident it was not sufficient to arrest him. Even though Ramsay is "known" to the police, Ramsay was coherent in his speech and demeanor with the Police and therefore they could not lock him up for 72 hours of observation at a psychiatric hospital either. The officers assured me they had strongly impressed upon Mr. Ramsay to keep his distance from me or they would return.
This satisfied me.
Of course with the appearance of the police we were treated to the presence of former Clearwater Streetwalker Big Al Buttnor. Uncle Al is back in Toronto as DSA again. He gave the Police his card, I introduced him as the man in charge of destroying me utterly and as a terrorist of the elderly. This caught Al off guard and one officer smirked. Al scuttled off muttering.
After the police left the Goon Squad stuck to hading out counter leaflets and generally lying and misleading the public.
We decided to "go for lunch" at 3 pm. However we had no real plan to return. We retired to the Artful Dodger for snacks and refreshments. I have since learned the Goon Squad hung about until almost 5 PM waiting for our return. Poor people.
While this picket included Peter and Patricia and was arranged to meet their schedule it was dedicated to ARS posters and SPs Raptavio and Rich Ahrens who have recently been harassed by intimidation innuendos by OSA Thugs Ramsay and Bryenton via email.
Our next peacefully conducted picket will be when we please. It could be tomorrow. Or next week or next month or not until DEC 28.
Thanks to all who were available to come out and demonstrate and to all those innumerable members of the public who encouraged and supported our consumer activism.
All in all a good start to the year.
Scientology Management does not always tell truth;
Scientology Management has condoned and often conducted illegal,
unethical and immoral activities;
Some Scientology Practices are dangerous to participants health,
either physical or mental or both;
Scientology Management and L.R. Hubbard lied about Hubbards life,
history and accomplishments;
Despite the pseudo-scientific claims of Hubbard no Scientology or
Dianetic process has *ever* been clinically *proven* to work as
claimed.
Hey OSA! What purpose does it serve to instruct an OSA thug, agent and member of the Co$ to continuously and maliciously infringe upon my TradeMark? http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/1051/trdp105117800e.html
[15 Photos posted to alt.binaries.scientology]
Exactly what happened except one detail:
Ramsey wasn't pursuing me; I caught sight of the activity from the corner of my (good) eye and saw him advancing on Gregg so I started yelling, "hey, wait a minute, what are you doing?!" I noticed that Gregg was being advanced on enough that he was stepping on the street--we're talking about one of the busiest streets in Toronto, Yonge Street.
Peter Alexander and Patricia Greenway started also intervening as well, Patricia was saying, "what's wrong with you mister? This is definitely not OK."
At one point, Ramsey stepped around me to get at Gregg, as I was between the two of them.
Other than that, that's all :)