The Boston Sun reports the news of the possible impending sale of the former Hotel Alexandra at Mass. Ave. and Washington Street comes in time to quiet neighborhood calls for the city to take the building by eminent domain.
The church bought the building some nine years ago as a Boston-area headquarters, then never did anything, then decided to move to Allston.
The Globe reports the church has purchased a building on Lincoln Street (on the Allston end; you Lincoln Bar and Grill fans can relax), following their failure to raise enough money to renovate that old hotel in the South End.
Wonder what they'll put on the sidewalk for Allston Christmas.
The Suffolk County DA's office today dropped a charge of criminal harassment against Gregg Housh, 32, of Woburn, related to protests outside the Church of Scientology's Boston headquarters.
However, a Boston Municipal Court judge continued for one year charges against Housh of disturbing an assembly of worship and disturbing the peace. The ruling means Housh has to stay away from the church's current headquarters and its planned new offices in the South End or the case could be brought to trial, according to the Suffolk County DA's office. In a statement, the office explained the decision to drop the criminal-harassment charge:
After a review of the evidence, prosecutors determined they could not meet their burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt on this charge [of criminal harassment] and could not in good faith move forward with it.
Had the case gone to trial, prosecutors would have introduced evidence and testimony to show that Housh and others entered the Church of Scientology's Beacon Street building in a boisterous manner during a March 1 protest, disturbing the proceedings and alarming those inside.
Despite repeated claims that Anonymous raids are not intended to infringe the rights of Scientologists, I was curious about how Scientologists feel about it, so I asked a few of them for their reactions, and got a very different story.
Over 100 law enforcement and government officials, clergy and educators attended an interfaith conference in May at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International in Hollywood to address the growing problem of Internet hate crime and to see how they can work together to improve Internet safety and security.
A panel of leading experts shared their insights, professional experience and concern over how the Internet and advanced cell phones are used to perpetrate civil rights abuses, hate crimes, terrorism, fraud, identity theft, sex slavery, terrorism and pedophilia.
Do citizens have a legal right to peacefully protest in front of organizations that they disagree with?
The 'Church' of Scientology says that we don't. They have filed a criminal charge of 'harassment' against Gregg Housh, a local participant in masked 'Anonymous' protests near their 448 Beacon Street facility. Housh was just one of many particpants in these events, but Scientology singled him out for prosecution because he signed the paperwork applying for a protest permit at Boston City Hall.
The internet phenomenon known as 'Anonymous' will conduct its third monthly protest against the 'Church' of Scientology this Saturday, April 12.
This month's event is called Operation Reconnect, focusing on Scientology's policy of forcibly "disconnecting" family members who leave the organization from those who remain in it.
Steve Garfield was there on Beacon Street, took photos (such as the above) and shot videos:
... It was cold and rainy with temperatures in the 30's. The group of protesters I saw there looked like a cross between an Improv Everywhere and and Halloween party crowd. ...
BOSTON – Local members of the Church of Scientology, a religion well-known for its stance against mind altering drugs, brought their Drug Free Marshals program to children around the innercity on Tuesday, June 26th, as part of the Church’s international movement to forward the United Nations’ International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking www.un.org/NewLinks/drugs
Adam Reilly wonders how BostonNow came to do a puff piece on Scientology tutoring in Roxbury (part 1 of a 2-part series, apparently).
It was a fantastic moment when the Boston Scientology Ministers realized that they had just received this donation to continue their weekly distribution of The Way to Happiness - A Common Sense Guide to A Happier, More Successful Life Booklet. The Volunteer Ministers and local business owners distribute this booklet throughout the neighborhoods of Boston. It is just one of the many public services of the Ministry.
As he exits the Porter Square T stop, Spatch notices the Scientologists and his inner bastard starts struggling to come out, demanding to tell them what's what. Then one of the Scientologists spots Spatch:
Mark says he was amazed last week to see what good business Scientologists were doing at tables at the Porter Square T stop. He finally sprang into action:
... My anger at the Scientologists, shown in a couple of brief exchanges between errands, surprised me. It first came up when I saw some guy signing a receipt, probably for his starter copy of "Dianetics," and urged him, "Please don't do this." Immediately three of the recruiters started coming at me from around the table, making soothing sounds and asking me if I was feeling any stress.
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