PROLOGUE to the FIRST PICKET:

Picketing the Church of Scientology© since May 10, 1997, for Objectionable Management Practises.

I drove in to Toronto so as to arrive at the lunch hour. The org. was not as I remembered from the mid 70s.

It was as dead as a doornail.

The displays were sunlight yellowing and the staff inept, tho' polite. I asked for a copy of HOM and they had to dig it up for me from another location. The org is a multi-story building, about 8 or 10, I think. The upper floors have offices and living quarters. The upper windows display a jumbled mess of odds and sods up against them. Bags, bits of clothing, flotsam and jetsam. Really unkempt looking. The street level facing is a bit rundown except for Brothers Restaurant, which is in the middle third of the face of the building. ( I recommend Brothers for competently prepared and well served general eating. The staff do not appear to appreciate their neighbours much.) The left half of the org is an Office-like entrance with a little sign advertising jobs available at low pay and high adventure. They don't mention brainsucking.

The right half of the org is the public section for body routing and book sales. On my visit it was deserted except for one Sea Org gal hanging up some decorations and two guys kinda middle-aged and bland in personality. After they dug up HOM they were dismayed that all I wanted to do was confirm something I had been told. I said I wanted to check the 'Source' of the clam tales. This did not make them happy. I read the Clam stuff, handed them back the book and left. They were terrible sales people, but polite enough. As I left I noted the incredible 50s style 'B Horror Movie' designed anti-psyche posters in the window and the ad for the 47 Anniversary of Dianetics Celebration at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for May 10 at 7:30 pm.

2. Notices of Demonstrations Filed on Thursday.

The Charter of Freedom and Rights guarantees that you can demonstrate your point of view or protest anothers', provide this is done in an appropriate way. In Toronto that includes filing a Notice of Demonstration. On this Notice you must provide a lot of information, even proposed signs or banners. The police want this kind of thing: Name, phone, address of the filer.[Mine] Name of organisation. [Independent] Number of maximum proposed demonstrators. [10] Duration. [3 to 5 pm] Location.[696 - 700 Yonge St] Object of Demonstration.[the Church of Scientology] Purpose.[To protest the various unethical practices of the management of the Church of Scientology] On the second Notice I listed the Queen Elizabeth Theatre from 6: 30 to 9:30 pm the same day. The police want this stuff so the watch commanders know about potential trouble spots and if they need to set up barriers and other logistics. Also, in Toronto, the object of your ire gets a copy in advance. Since I had posted on the net I wanted to organise a Protest, I figured the Co$ were on the lookout anyway.

3.Religious Sanctuary and Residence Attacked on Friday.

Now, I have *no* idea who these characters were, but late Friday night, four brave souls in dark clothing and travelling in a dark red minivan pulled up to the front of my Residence, which is the Sanctuary of the Temple I minister for and egged the front with about a dozen. My neighbors security camera caught the action, but not the license plate or any faces. The police say, oh well. Five minutes with a hose and the traces were gone. Egg shells went into the composter.

All this childish assault accomplished was strengthen my resolve to Picket the Toronto Org. of the Co$ on Saturday.