Cult Viewing

You may well have heard by now about the 15 year-old anti-Scientology demonstrator threatened with criminal proceedings over a placard which used the word "cult". It's a strange, strange story which is open to various interpretations. The more conspiratorially-minded have noticed that the City of London Police, which was the force concerned, have a oddly chummy relationship with L.Ron Hubbard's followers. Chief Superintendent Kevin Hurley praised Scientology for "raising the spiritual wealth of society" during the opening of its new London headquarters - the venue being picketed on May 10th - in 2006. The "Church" of Scientology certainly knows a thing or too about wealth, if not always of the spiritual kind. Another angle, pursued in an interesting Telegraph piece by George Pitcher, sees the incident as yet more evidence of police over-reaction to religious sensitivity in light of recent events and the otiose 2006 Religious Hatred Act. "If the law is an ass, those who enforce it are whipped mules, writes Pitcher. "The police in these circumstances are too inclined to side with the bullies."

With the long-overdue scrapping of the blasphemy law, defaming Christianity no longer carries even notional penalties. It would be a sad irony indeed if special consideration is now to be given to an exploitative cult like Scientology.

Or you could simply view it as yet another instance of the bizarre and inconsistent policing to which the British people are subjected, to be set alongside the decision of West Midlands Constabulary to refer Channel 4 to Ofcom over Undercover Mosque. To be honest it's hard to know what to make of the police these days. Part of me hopes they do decide to go on strike.

Here's the video which captures the now notorious "caution" (it comes about a minute in). The protester was ready with some killer quotes from a ruling by Mr Justice Latey in 1984. The policewoman, by contrast, sounds as robotic and pre-programmed as any Scientologist.




Update: Thanks to "Anonymous", who might be part of the "Anonymous" campaign. The disguised (and heroic) protester is apparently now known as "Epic Nose Guy". (Watch the video if you want to see why.) And here is another video dealing with the incident.