Anti-Scientology protesters to demonstrate at Katie Holmes’ Broadway debut


Anonymous, that group of vigilante citizens and hackers looking to debunk and expose Scientology, are planning to protest at the premiere of “All My Sons” on Broadway, starring Katie Holmes, wife of the most famous Scientologist in the world. The faceless group says they aren’t looking to shut down the production, but are just looking to “prove a point” and to hopefully “save Katie.”

When Katie Holmes’ Broadway show “All My Sons” opens Oct. 16, ticket holders won’t be the only ones in attendance. The anti-Scientology group Anonymous will be on hand for Holmes’ Broadway debut as well.

The group confirms that a protest will take place opening night. “We aren’t looking to shut it (“All My Sons”) down, we don’t have the power to do that, we just want to prove a point,” one spokesperson (who remains anonymous, natch) confirmed via phone.

Anonymous’ protests, when they take place in person (the group often launches Web-based protests) are easy to spot, thanks to the tell-tale masks Anonymous members wear. The group, which calls itself a “leaderless worldwide group of concerned citizens” recently picketed the Scientology Center on West 46th Street in New York.

Of the group’s plans to picket the “Sons” opening, the spokesperson said their main aim was to “save Katie.” “We want to draw attention to Scientology, and hopefully get Katie out of it before its too late.”


[From MSNBC]

I’m surprised that Anonymous would reveal their protest plan ahead of time. I wonder what they’re going to do? By the way, the masks they wear look like the same one worn in the movie “V for Vendetta.” They also occasionally dress like pirates. I certainly admire their guerrilla tactics and they’ve been able to get themselves and their cause noticed, but I do wonder how they plan on saving Katie by protesting at her play. There are already numerous “Save Katie” web sites- which the actress has probably never been allowed to see. Who knows- maybe this will pump up sagging ticket sales to the show, which also stars John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest.

Here’s anonymous at The 7th Worldwide peaceful protest against the Church of Scientology in NY City on 8/16/08. Credit: MLM/ Fame Pictures

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38 Responses to “Anti-Scientology protesters to demonstrate at Katie Holmes’ Broadway debut”

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  1. Kaiser says:

    Ruh-roh. Xenu on a zebra, this is a Scientologist Emergency! To The L. Ron Batcave NOOOWWW!

  2. ri23 says:

    This crap again? Here, allow me: Scientology is bad. All religions are cults. No, not [insert your religion here], it’s awesome. Katie’s controlled. Tom’s short. Yawn. Yeah, we’ve heard it all before. Wake me up when these two do anything of interest, besides being all L Ron Hubbard-y.

  3. bros says:

    hah. i found out yesterday the people who own the physical therapy clinic where I go are major scientologists. my PT brought out the HR book they were using for ‘team building methods’ and it was based on the teachings of L Ron Hubbard. I was like, hold on here, what? crazy. I hate that my money is going to these owners to pay the church in order to advance up to higher levels of enlightenment.

  4. Megan says:

    I love these guys haha

  5. saintdevil says:

    Do these guys want to be taken seriously?

  6. Mairead says:

    Well done you though bros for being so observant 😀 Will you be able to find another clinic close-by though?

    I’m sure the brave maskless nurse in the photo will gladly help 😉

  7. Lauri says:

    Katie was all grown up when she decided to lash up with Tom Terrific and buy into his crazy beliefs. I don’t think there is any “saving” Katie. She made a choice, and, like or not, we do have freedom of religion in the US. I don’t see how protesting the play will do any good on any level.

    That being said, I am definitely in the anti-scientology camp. The ones I feel sorry for, though, are the little ones who are raised in it and don’t know any better. Katie made a choice; Suri is being raised in it. Hopefully she’ll rebel as an adult and get out of it.

  8. Bodhi says:

    😆 @ Xenu on a zebra!

  9. bros says:

    well, i have practice mairead. a couple of months ago I was doing research on this dentist I sent my fiance to because he was fleecing him and doing all kinds of weird stuff to his teeth (he is a biologic and holistic dentist, whatever that fluff means) and something popped up about him being a scientologist too! so I told my fiance that and the next time he went back to the dentist he told him I had found this out and the dentist sent him home with a copy of dianetics, huge bible size, and other materials. told my fiance to get that accursed stuff right out of the house, seeing as though it is probably bugged or something. apparently you really have to watch out for these people-they are everywhere-not just celebs!

  10. daisy424 says:

    I agree with the other comments, but Saintdevil’s stood out to me.
    How can they be expected to be taken seriously, they look like morons.

    Oh, and Kaiser, best comment I have read today. 😀

  11. SolitaryAngel says:

    Zenu on a zebra! 😆 😆 😆

    You ROCK!!

  12. Anon says:

    Anonymous isn’t looking to be taken seriously, as long as people take the crimes of scientology seriously. Humour and silliness has proven to be an excellent way to counter an organisation that takes itself so DEADLY serious as scientology does.

    Over the past half year there has been a notable increase in negative publications about scientology – many more ex-members no longer afraid to speak out, many media sources no longer silenced by the fear of CoS LOLsuits. This increase can be traced back to all the noise Anonymous has been making. It’s caused a wave of critical interest and outspokeness.

    A year ago a scientology-critical comment like Celebitchy frequently has of late would have ended in a massively expensive lawsuit for the owner of this site. Right now there are so many critical comments that the scieno-lawsuit-factory cannot keep up, and Celebitchy gets off without legal harassment.

    And Msat, monthly protest dates and locations are always announced! Anon likes people to know about their parties. It’s all legal and all out in the open. In fact, a lot of locations have given the links of the protest planning sites to their local police force so that the cops can stay up to date with the plans.

  13. JoGirl says:

    Makes sense to me! The best way to fight an organization that takes itself too seriously to the point of being dangerous is to make fun of them repeatedly, in public. Then again, making fun of Islam (ala Danish cartoons, etc.) hasn’t worked out so well for those who tried it. I fear for these folks just a little bit.

  14. Kaiser says:

    Solitary, Daisy, Bodhi – Thank you. I was thinking, “What would be the Scientology equivalent of ‘Christ on a cracker’?”

    ZOMG XENU ON ZEBRA

    Perhaps it will catch on!

  15. czarina says:

    Love the Guy Faulks masks!
    I’ve secretly wanted one since I saw “V for Vendetta”!
    Mostly I think Scientology is silly, rather than scary, but I don’t claim to know a great deal about it.
    I suppose I have been thinking of it as a sort of Hollywood-based religion (or California based?), but comments on this thread lead me to wonder if it is more popular around the country/world than I had given it credit for?

  16. Anon says:

    Here are some sites to read about why scientology is dangerous, scary and should certainly not be dismissed as silly and harmless…

    Search wikipedia for ‘scientology’, ‘sea org’ (CoS’ inner core of believers), ‘Rehabilitation Project Force’ (CoS’ private prison camps).

    Read the stories of people who grew up in scientology:
    http://exscientologykids.com/voicesinunison.html

    There are many more places to look, but that’s a good start.

  17. anony says:

    I LOVE these guys. Their You Tube video with the ominous creedo being read in a neutral, computer voice; the scrolling clouds.. it was just so damned compelling but also clever. I went to one of their sites once and died laughing at the tenacity of these F**ckers. They reminded people not to park right out front b/c ‘Those Scifags (a nickname for scientologists, nothing to do with sexual preference) will follow you home. Park blocks away and walk it!” And other handy reminders like “Stay in pairs! it’s dangerous to wander off by yourself these people are dangerous” like a little field trip with kids. Best ever was a post asking for people to meet up and chip in some $ as they were renting a U HAUL and hanging up a banner on one side of the truck and driving around the block just handing out flyers. The post ended with a promise of making it ‘a great fun party’.

    They are hilarious and fearless. I would not dare mess with those people. I’ve read too many stories about people who’ve gone public with their dissent and disgust for Scientology and they invariably turn up dead/missing or seem to ‘commit suicide’.

  18. Celebitchy says:

    You are doing a great service Anons and I love your style! I think you handle it exactly the right way by using the nonchalant in-joke Internet culture to show that you’re fearless. Thanks so much for visiting Celebitchy and for helping us get the word out. We have been intimidated by the C0$ in the past, and thanks to your efforts the word is getting out. 😀

  19. Marie says:

    These kids are doing what most adults are afraid to do. Exposing the criminal organisation of $cientology for what it is. I applaud them.

  20. Mairead says:

    Jeebus – I get the collywobbles everytime I see the term “Sea Org”

    Psst czarina – it’s Fawkes. I think they’re being ironic using him, because he was a political/religious terrorist/freedom fighter type thing. 😉 I think.

  21. javagirl1 says:

    After reading some of the stories in the link anon provided, I wonder if Tom Cruise knows how many young girls get raped in the CoS.

  22. KERRI says:

    Where does the soul of a deceased $cientologists go after death? Also, is the body allowed to take along his/her $cientology approved Ray Gun? 😕

  23. Shay says:

    They (CO$) had a table out a block away from the Jazz Fest with a banner that said “Stress Test” Labor day weekend. They had e-meters out on the tables. As we walked past my friend was like hey that looks cool let’s do that. All I could do was say under my breath “no let’s please keep walking I’ll tell you later”. Of course I explained the whole thing. They had two people working a middle aged man and woman who looked like doctorly types.

    I have to give props to the lady in the pics who went maskless not really a safe thing to do.

  24. vdantev says:

    We do not forgive.
    We do not forget.
    We are Anonymous.
    We are Legion.

    http://www.xenu.net

  25. bluewiggirl says:

    KERRI: Scientologists believe that their “thetan” is drawn towards Mars or Venus after the death of their body for additional brainwashing. Thetans are immortal energy beings from before the creation of the Universe. Most of the ones on earth got messed up when Xenu dropped their bodies into volcanoes, exploded them with H-bombs, and then brainwashed them. most low-level Scientologists don’t know that this is part of their religion 😀

  26. czarina says:

    Mairead: Sorry for the spelling error. And, yeah, I know the history of Guy Fawkes and appreciate the irony.

  27. KERRI says:

    Thanks, Bluewiggirl, That’s what is thought 😛

  28. Victoria says:

    Agree ANONY…. I saw a video on another site someone had posted on missing people from trying to leave their cult. They really just mysteriously vanished or had horrible accidents or disfigurments. Some tried to leave for years and would hide out, only to be found, so they took their own life to ” get out”. It was a creepy and sad video. They showed these peoples real faces and real names and where they were from and ages. It showed before and after pictures of them. Alive and dead. And showed pictures of them before ” cult” and during ” cult days and after”…. You would not believe how they aged. Some women in their 20’s looked 10 years older the next year…. By the time I finished watching, I locked my doors and windows and it took forever for me to fall asleep. I felt I was being watched by ” THEM”. Just by reading about THEM”…. CREEPY everybody !!!!!

  29. KeeKee says:

    scientology is a criminally convicted UFO cult. Still think its a religion or harmless? Check out exscientologykids(dot)net for the truth. Katie and Tom’s money (which they get from the general public…meaning you) funds the abuses of the cult of scientology.

  30. chaz says:

    Well, you guys have doomed her! I agree with everyone who alluded to the fact that scientology is a big ball of crazy, but lets look at the smaller picture here. what if this was the last chance that Katie Holmes had to free herself….. no, y’all are right! i’m sure Tom has installed one of those “scanner” devises on her somewhere so that if she tries to escape, her head just blows up. still, you’d think that she’d take death over a lifetime of slavery!

  31. Shay says:

    Save Katie? I don’t think she’s ready just yet. I think she’s in some sort of fairy-tale haze. Tom has fed her some idea that she’s America’s Princess Diana and she prances around like that’s the case. She’s an active participant in this nonsense. It’ll take a while to de-program her.

  32. geronimo says:

    Zenu on a Zebra 😆 😆 8)

    Perfection. Should be declared the official battle cry – a ‘warning: sciento ahead’ alert to other posters.

    Love the ‘Anonymous’ posts here. Kill them with humour. Ridicule really is the best tool.

  33. czarina says:

    Anon: I went to the ex-scientology kids link and was really amazed at the mind control and abuses going on in this “church”.
    I had no idea. Reading some of the stories from ex-members was shocking!
    Thank you for the information.

  34. NYC says:

    These pictures were taken in NYC, where the mask law states that in a group mask can be worn by two or less. Which is why the girls face is uncovered. It doesn’t matter anyway-the NYC Anons are fearless. Go to Youtube and look up “John Carmichael”, you’ll see just what these guys have to go through.
    Plus-the red head is in the video too!

  35. Shay says:

    @NYC

    I went on the Anon site journal and read the NYCs protest posts. The girl had a mask on in some of the pictures. Donno maybe they switched up or she had the mask on before they discussed the laws. Either way I commend all masked or unmasked. I’m hoping to go to a protest in my city later this month.

  36. chuck beatty says:

    My take on all this, as a 27 year ex Scientology staffer dupe, Scientology was my last ditch “hope” on the mystical fraud con human history tradition. anon represents the current cultural rejection, just like the lyrics from the Who’s 1968 rock album classic “Tommy”, where the youth’s refrain to all new age religion/cons and to all religion is:
    “We’re not gonna take it!”

    All people stuck in Hubbard’s science fiction UFO mysticism cult hiding under the the US constitution’s loophole of religious protection, are part of earth’s loss of faith in fantasy belief systems.

    There are no pure souls (scientology/Hubbard calls them “OTs”, and Tom Cruise is decided proof of NOT being a pure free flying out of the body soul power).

    Hubbard’s scientology mystical fraud is a 20th century last ditch effort earth mystical cult con operation. Hubbard who grew up in the totalitarian propaganda heydays of the 20th century communism movements USSR and China, Hubbard embedded in his Scientology cult the cold war vintage propaganda and intell tactics of communism’s worst example groups.

    The big trends that made Hubbard’s bad Scientology are various bad trends in human history.

    The pretentious fraud inspired name: Scien t ology says it all, and it broadcasts its prententious fraud every time the subject’s name is uttered or written.

    It’s human foolishness to believe in fantasy about our cosmos, and thus all the “now we are supposed to” open minded allowance of everyday undereducated people, fall prey in the “sucker born every day” tradition.

    constant discussion and exposure is the only solution to the mystical cult fraud con operations being driven into the trash heap of history.

    Chuck Beatty, ex 27 year advanced staff dupe of the Scientology operation.
    1975-2003

  37. Jeanne says:

    Hmmm, I smell a PR stunt. Don’t underestimate the shrewdness of Head Scientologist, aka “Crazy Cat Cruise.” At this point in both of Tom/Kat’s careers any publicity is good publicity. I just don’t ever remember Scientology protesters showing up before at Tom Cruise or Katie Holmes’ movies. I don’t think there were any protesters when Katie ran the marathon, or when Katie went on Letterman. We know slow ticket sales were a concern as Ms. Katie “Cardboard” Holmes’ makes her Broadway debut. Me thinks it’s a setup!

  38. Pooka says:

    The Anti-Scientology movement or ‘Chanology’ didn’t start until late January 2008, and considering that many members have received “Cease & Desist” letters from $cientology for ‘terrorist activities’ (because practicing your first amendment rights and handing out fliers is terrorism, amirite?) I highly doubt that ‘Anonymous’ is merely a PR tool $cientology.