Your first raid? So, I read about this Scientology-protest thing on SA, back in January and decided it would be a cool thing to stage a protest in my own city, Århus, mostly because I didn't have the money to go to Copenhagen. I found out where the local org was located and went out and had a look. Then I posted the following raid-report (the original was lost in the conversion from phpBB to vBulletin). For some reason I saved the text. After the "protest", I posted another video. YouTube - Anonymous: Protest in Århus, Denmark - Chat with police That was how my involvement got started. How about you? :woot:
Re: Your first raid? My first raid was in March in LA. Here's the funny thing: I showed up with the crowd on Hollywood blvd, but had no mask and I was wearing plainclothes. I went up to an Anon couple with masks to ask them some questions. They turned away from me ! I was shocked ! Why are you turning away? What's going on I asked ! After about 10 tries they would not talk to me. I next tried speaking to a guy next to them and he said they were afraid I was a scientologist. I reasured the several times to no avail. So, I actually went in the street and cursed loudly at the LRH building on Hollywood blvd and finally they warmed up to me. Man, people were PARANOID back then. Now, we've got AGP, solo protests and a general party freeforall. There's less cake, I've noticed though !
Re: Your first raid? mine got started back in the February protest. I was very interested in anonymous then and i decided why not i should go. i went with two friends of mine and almost got pulled over in the local taco belles parking lot for holding a sign out the window... stupid local police. other then that the raid rocked... 30 + people in Louisville!
Re: Your first raid? Compare your video with the one in Orlando Florida where the cop was totally belligerent.
Re: Your first raid? I wish cops in Louisville were that accepting and what not... we aren't even allowed to wear masks in our raids. stupid laws...
Re: Your first raid? Neither are we, but that's the law in all of Denmark, so not the police's fault. We have tried to ask for an exception, but the answer was something like: "We don't believe you'll be in serious danger if protesting unmasked, so GTFO"
Re: Your first raid? Ha, for an "architecture project". Beautiful. Very very nice, but did they happen to have any battletoads in stock?
Re: Your first raid? my first raid was... huh... uhm... uh... shit... ohya... ides of march. i went with my mask on... but it got to hot... so i asked if someone brought some paper towels... picked up the roll on the ground... tore one off and lifted my mask up and suddenly realized my face was now covered in icing... i let out a loud... "FUUUUUUCK!" everyone stopped and staired "THERES FUCKING ICING ON THIS PAPERTOWELL!" MPB with his face covered in caek... pointed and laughed at me... called me a fag so i switched for one of those... dust masks... anyway... poped a hole in it so i could smoke... i ended up looking like a fat version of smoke from mortal kombat... waite... was this thread about first global... or first raid?
Re: Your first raid? February. I didn't know any anon, but I'd brought a lot of friends along. We were the first to arrive. I was nervous. Seeing other anons slowly come in and just naturally striking up conversation was the weirdest experience of my life. We spent the hour before the raid comparing flyers and making paper masks together, which was a lot of fun. The room kept getting more and more crowded, with eventually 60 people in masks and silly hats all looking unbelievably nervous. I did the entire raid without recognizing two of my friends... because I didn't know they were anon and didn't expect to see them there. The first Rickroll was epic. It got announced as "the song over 9000 people know" and everyone flocked to the speakers to join in. Karin Spaink showed up with her girlfriend and her old picket signs and got a standing ovation. I remember every single person who applauded and hooted - most of them people I now talk to every day. Splongcat kept yelling memes in my ear.
Re: Your first raid? 3/15. I was bringing a handful of buddies along, one of whom was an oldfag who wanted to go to 2/10 but couldn't because no one would/could go with him. I admit I felt the 2/10 thing would be total FAIL, and I've had to eat my words since repeatedly. I was so squicked out I demanded we walk from the train station to a local coffee shop where I could peep out onto the street and see if anyone else had shown up. We had 2-3 Anons and some Old Guard already fearlessly out there, so I picked my balls up from the floor and we snuck out and around and showed up. Everybody there was very cool and I quickly felt like I was among friends. I've only missed June since. :guyfawkes:
Re: Your first raid? Ha! I watched the Internet raids in January with a mounting sense of horror. I'd discovered (if you could call it that) Scientology in CHILDREN'S articles way back in the early 1970s so I knew very well what they were about. When I got into High school and Collage I carefully looked into them and reached the same conclusions most of you have. Then, in the late 1970s I moved to West-Central Florida, a stone's throw from Clearwater. I knew about the protests in Clearwter back in 1999 but never took part in them. When the IRL protests were announced this year, I had to see it! I went with a friend who'd participated in the 1999-2001 protest movement and subsequently got fair gamed. We didn't wear masks and watched in wonder as Anon took to the streets. Clearwater was swarming with Scilons armed with cameras. Spencer, a fellow who was prominent in Mark Bunker's vids from the LMT was there using the same video camera from ten years ago! They'd called in every off duty Clearwter PD officer and a horde of private investigators. The Scientology members made a big deal out of following protesters around and snapping photos. A couple of notable old-timers were sighted, Richard Hirst from the CCHR was seen and photographed watching the protesters from street level, so was "Crock" and a number of others. They had a lone Scientology member posted at the corner of Ft Harrison and Cleavland to serve as bait. He was a young person, about the same age as the protesters, wearing a white shirt/tie and welding an enormous SLR camera he pointedly snapped photos of everyone. Some of the Anons tried to interact with him, he ignored them. I remember asking some of the protesters to leave him alone as obvious set-up was obvious. I got to talking with some of the Anons, got cussed at by the tubby Mexican-looking security guy by the main church building. The other Scilons avoided speaking to the protesters and the normal throngs of Sea Org people going from building to building were absent. Of course they name-fagged me and I have a nice cease and desist letter, suitable for framing. Here's some vid from the first Clearwater, World vs Scientology protest. From Clearwater with Love on Vimeo
Re: Your first raid? ^^ Sweet video as usual SB! We need that kind of media coverage back. I watched with great interest that first global protest in Feb via live feed from DC, then followed as it lead the news on most local affiliates here in Tampa Bay. Couldn't make it in March due to scheduling conflicts, so Operation Reconnect in April was my first raid. It was a truly epic experience, as it featured the first Anonymous flag raising in Clearwater. And I never thought I'd see the day when 200+ protesters would be marching in front of the Fort Harrison chanting "Cults don't get to be tax exempt." LULZ and Epic Free Speech was had by all. 69 Pix: Operation Reconnect in Clearwater - a set on Flickr Vid: The Heros of the Day on Vimeo
Re: Your first raid? They prohibit masks in many areas, but they almost never prohibit makeup. Wigs are also seldom restricted. And some strong face paint can go a *long* way towards protecting your identity. Best bet is something Mime-ish. Mimes are widely understood to be non-threatening, and that's important.
