"Kieler Woche" - CoS chickened out ?

The "Kieler Woche" (Kiel week) is a festival which lasts 10 days. This year approx. 2 million people visited it. It began on Friday, 16th and ended on Sunday, 25th. During this time, there was an area in which non-profit groups were allowed to present themself to the public. Guess who was there?

When I found out about this (Tuesday), I phoned the city admin. and asked if they knew it. They said: "Yes, but we can't do a thing about it. They are not forbidden nor do they act illegaly at the stand. We are sorry about this." I asked if I were allowed to protest against it. _They_ phoned another office for me, holding me on line. The answer they got was: Yes, I was allowed to protest peacefully. I was allowed to give handouts. They would, however, not recommend me to put my name on handouts. I had to keep me to public ground, preferably the footwalk. No permit was given to enter the Co$-stand.

I do not easyly make friends with strangers and have difficulties with public appearences. The thought of protesting in public made my heart skip. But I decided to go through it when I heard Ms. Caberta from the Hamburg Senat talking about politicians and high officials not understanding the danger of Scientology.

On Wednesday my handouts were ready, 300 pieces of them. The front said "Scientology - The Cult of Greed", followed by the statement made by Mr. Bluem. Then it said:

The selfproposed church with anything: - an own language to isolate its members - an own secret service, the OSA - own punishment camps for members, the RPF - own PI's to harass critics - a warchest to harass critics - a peculiar ethic that calls for action against critics - dozens of frontorganisation to influence the public - own organisations to subvert business - copyrights and tradesecrets on their scriptures - an unwillingness to discuss their religion - a boss who hides from the law - a management strategy with money as main goal - the need to register as business But No Skrupels...

The back: Same header and quote. Quote of "ethics" from LRH. A warning about the personality test. Stuff about bleeding their members dry of money and brains. Named policy letter about handling of critics. Wollersheim case, Miscavige hiding, broker scandal in Germany. Short note about handling of ars. Short quote (with court decision about it) saying that the Co$ is largely composed of inept and misguided people.

I went down to the "Kieler Foerde" with my handouts. I stopped on my way at a police station. I informed them that trouble may be ahead with the Co$-reps. The officers seemed almost to wish that the Co$ made trouble... :)

Once there, I checked the situation. The Co$ was unseccessfully trying to hand out "Freedom", no personality tests, no books. I learned later that they were _forbidden_ to advertise, to sell or to do tests. I made myself known to the inhabitants of the other info-stands, carefully avoiding the Co$-people. I said that I was expecting trouble once I started my action and that I would be pleased if they would watch me. This was just in case I needed "police-assistance". I explained that I did this with my own money and on my own risk. I got a lot of very nice responses and encouragement.

Some minutes after I began handing out my leaflets a Co$er appeared. He was a head higher and at least a shoulder broader than I. He wanted to have one of my flyers and looked at my button ("1.1 and proud of it"). Then the following dialogue took place:

S'er (loud, weird voice): "Who do you work for?" Me (trying to stay calm): "Nobody, its my own fun and my own money I put into this" S'er: "Certainly JU (Young Conservatives), aren't you?" Me: "No, I am not, I am a privat person" S'er (looking at flyer): "It has no name on it!" Me: "It doesn't need to..." S'er: "Quite cowardly, ain't it?" Me: "No, just cautious. Its wide known what you do to critics."

Our little conversation ended at this point. He realised that our "conversation" attracted a lot of attention from the other groups. He walked back to his comrade and I once again handed out my flyers. After a while a nice lady of about 50 to 60 years approached me. She asked for a little stack of flyers to distribute them right in front of the Co$'ers. I gave her some dozen leaflets. She returned after a while and told a story about a short visit by the police :). The Co$ demanded her to be stopped, but the police just shrugged and said " Her right to free speech." Complaints of no name on the flyers: "Has not to be." Demand to get the ladies name, argument ending with the Co$'ers giving *their* names to the police.

While I handed out my information, I had several conversations with passers by. Some wanted more details about my statements. Some just wanted to talk about relatives who joined the cult. Some came back to have some more flyers to distribute in class, on military bases, in clubs or youth hostels. Sometimes I had some more persons handing out flyers with me. It was really fantastic - so much public response and support.

When I ran out of flyers, I continued to discuss with some people from youth organisation. I got contact adresses to continue my "good" work. When I finally went home, I gave the sign of the clam to the Co$'ers and got a real weird answer: "Sei nicht traurig!" (Don't be sorry!) - What does _that_ mean?

The next day I found someone who agreed to print me some 1500 more for a reasonable price. When I went to get them, he said: "Just gimme 50 DM, to cover my own expenses. I read the thing and I want to support you."

BUT: Sorrowly (or rather happily) the Co$ chickened out! They did not return to Kiel! I am *NOT* claiming this to be my win. They had a really bad press in Kiel that week, but maybe my flyers added a little to the pressure. I have been told that while I did my work, they got the "Freedom" shredded and thrown right in their faces. One really angry woman hit them right in the face with a folded "Freedom"... Oh my, all those suppressive persons!

They lost the chance to impress at least 1/4 million passersby on these last four days of the "Kiel week". Maybe the bad press of the last weeks has exhausted them.

Whenever they return to Kiel, they can be sure to be met with at least 1500 flyers. The protest may, or may not be, organized at that time. Some of the organisations I spoke to are into heavy information work. The political parties and churches are united in their efforts to keep them out of the next Kiel Week and out of Kiel in general.

Together with Tilmanns postings from Berlin there comes up a certain picture. A picture that people stop being afraid of Scientology. A picture of an informed public. A picture of people sick of being shoved around by bullies. A picture of people spontanuosly getting organized to hit back. A picture where the Co$ gets more trouble than it can handle. A picture where the whole Co$ is definitly downstats.

All it needs are people to start the action.

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