Till a few 12 months in the past, William Gude had no points with the Church of Scientology.
The self-proclaimed cop watcher and activist higher recognized by his social media deal with @FilmThePoliceLA didn’t perceive why the L.A.-based faith began by L. Ron Hubbard bought a lot flak.
That was till Gude tried to document video of police making an arrest exterior one in every of Scientology’s buildings final 12 months. Gude alleges he was harassed by Scientology safety guards who advised him he couldn’t shoot video on the general public sidewalk. Though the allegation pales compared with others towards the church, it set Gude off.
“I advised them, ‘I’m going to finish your faith,’” Gude stated in an interview.
Now, Gude and his gaggle of anti-Scientology protesters are brawling publicly with the group. They’ve demonstrated exterior its main services in addition to these of companies perceived to be cozy with Scientology. Typically 100 or extra individuals present up on the protests, Gude stated. They are saying the church has tried to cease them — referred to as the police on them and despatched individuals out to harass them.
The ways of the protesters may be aggravating to their targets: They strategy Scientology properties and yell at and document individuals, although they accomplish that on public property, which is authorized.
“There’s a warfare occurring,” Gude stated.
Gude’s group is simply the newest of many to protest towards the church, which has been dogged by controversy for a long time, and his complaints will sound acquainted to former members and different critics who’ve tangled with it publicly.
The church disputes every part Gude and his group say, and alleges the “hate group” isn’t made up of protesters however agitators and bigoted harassers of non secular individuals.
“Scientologists have been harassed and attacked. The Church and Scientologists have handled these non secular hate-crimes in accordance with the legislation. Now we have filed police experiences and have alerted the suitable federal authorities to those threats and hate crimes,” Karin Pouw, the faith’s spokesperson, stated in an e mail.
Pouw additionally stated the group has referred to as in bomb and fireplace threats, “costing a whole bunch of 1000’s of {dollars} in taxpayer cash, denying necessary public companies for actual wants in our neighborhood, disturbing the peace and disturbing locations of worship.”
“Why is anti-religious discrimination and hate with the acknowledged purpose of closing church buildings and inflicting hurt to parishioners new and outdated alike tolerable? Not even the Los Angeles Occasions would contemplate these actions acceptable if geared toward a synagogue or a mosque,” she stated.
The battle most lately culminated within the arrest Friday of three anti-Scientology protesters exterior La Poubelle, a restaurant and bar on Franklin Avenue throughout from the Scientology Celeb Centre, after they clashed with individuals who weren’t even Scientologists.
Protesters had focused the watering gap as a result of its proprietor, Francoise Koster, penned a letter to a choose in assist of actor and Scientologist Danny Masterson after his conviction on a number of counts of rape.
The letter was particularly galling to anti-Scientology activists as a result of one in every of Masterson’s victims alleged that she misplaced consciousness after Masterson gave her a drink at La Poubelle. She regained consciousness the following morning in ache and Masterson advised her that they had had intercourse, in keeping with her testimony at trial. Koster didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Protesters gathered exterior La Poubelle on Friday, telling potential patrons not to enter the bar and suggesting that folks’s drinks may be spiked with medicine.
Particulars from the Los Angeles Police Division concerning the three arrests Feb. 16 are scarce and shrouded in bureaucratic cop-speak.
Police stated that two individuals got here to the Hollywood station round 10:30 p.m. and reported a battery to officers. Police adopted up on the report back to the 5900 block of Franklin Avenue, which is the place La Poubelle is positioned.
There, officers arrested two suspects, a police information launch stated.
However whereas they have been making these arrests, police have been alerted to “a second bodily altercation on the location” and made a 3rd arrest of one other battery suspect.
The three individuals arrested — Daniel Villeda Gonzalez, Kamrin Ivone and Scott Hochstetter — have been booked on suspicion of conspiracy and suspicion of unlawfully utilizing tear gasoline.
However different protesters stated that solely one of many three, Gonzalez, truly used tear gasoline. Gonzalez couldn’t instantly be reached for remark. It was not clear whether or not he remained in police custody as of Tuesday.
One of many others, Ivone, stated he was shoved by a person exterior the restaurant and has no concept why he was arrested.
“I don’t increase my voice at anyone. I’m probably the most peaceable protester. I don’t assault anyone,” Ivone stated in an interview with The Occasions. “I actually don’t know why I used to be arrested. My head was spinning. Why am I being arrested after I didn’t put my fingers on anyone?”
Video recorded on the scene reveals a patron of La Poubelle slapping Ivone’s cellphone out of his hand after Ivone referred to the person as “Motley Crue.” Ivone stated the person then pushed his chest and pinned him towards a automobile earlier than safety guards separated the 2.
Video later reveals a number of the protesters yelling at police, referring to them as “soiled” and utilizing profanity towards them.
Ivone says he didn’t assault anyone and didn’t have tear gasoline on him. All police present in his pockets was chapstick, a vape pen and AirPods, he stated.
Hochstetter couldn’t instantly be reached for remark. Public information present he’s in LAPD custody.
The LAPD didn’t reply to a request for added info on the three arrests.
The state of affairs at La Poubelle is the newest within the simmering Hollywood feud. Gude alleges that protesters have been attacked since they began displaying up at Scientology’s Hollywood info middle in September.
Chris Nava stated he was assaulted on Feb. 4 after protesting in Hollywood exterior Scientology’s blue constructing on Fountain Avenue. A person adopted him to his automobile and beat him up, leaving him hospitalized and requiring stitches to the again of his head. He additionally misplaced a tooth. The person took his cellphone, Nava stated. He reported the incident to police, however no arrests have been made.
Moreover Nava, protesters stated they’ve had their tires slashed whereas protesting; others allege they’ve been attacked by a person with a canine, and nonetheless others say they have been spat on, had snot thrown on them and even had knives pulled on them. Not one of the assaults have been straight tied to the church, although protesters maintain it accountable.
“Scientology has been sending individuals out to bodily intimidate the protesters,” stated Aaron Smith-Levin, a Florida-based former Scientologist who has attended a number of the current protests in Los Angeles.
Smith-Levin stated he and Patrick Perry, 52, have been each detained by police on Jan. 19. He alleges Perry attacked him. Arrest information present Perry was booked on suspicion of battery, however the division didn’t present additional particulars. The LAPD declined to arrest Smith-Levin.
“After a lot consideration, just one particular person was arrested for battery,” the LAPD stated in an announcement on the time. “The person arrested has no recognized affiliation with the Church of Scientology.”
Perry couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.
Pouw, the Scientology spokesperson, didn’t reply to a query about claims of retaliation towards protesters.
“It’s a continuing factor,” stated Gude, who stated that he instructs protesters to show the opposite cheek. “We’ve preached, ‘Guys you simply must take it.’ This isn’t about me. It’s about us, the motion.”
