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CPS drops case against Scientology protest boy
Justin Davenport, Evening Standard23.05.08
Prosecution lawyers have taken just a day to throw out a case against a 15-year-old who was facing possible legal action for holding up a placard which branded the Church of Scientology a "cult".
The Crown Prosecution Service said it was not in the public interest to take the teenager to court after he was handed a summons by the City of London police.
The teenager was "strongly advised" by officers to get rid of the sign which said "Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult" at a protest outside the church's headquarters in the City of London two weeks ago.
He refused and police sent a file on his case to the CPS. Lawyers have now taken the decision not to prosecute.
This week it emerged the teenager was appealing for help defending his case on an anti-Scientology website.
He had been among demonstrators from the anti-Scientology group, Anonymous, outside the church's £23 million headquarters near St Paul's Cathedral when he was advised to put down his banner.
A policewoman read out section 5 of the Public Order Act which prohibits signs that have representations or words which are threatening, abusive or insulting.
Others in the group agreed not to display their signs but the boy refused and he was issued with a summons. Police are believed to have taken action against the group after receiving complaints about the demonstration.
The force came under fire last year when it admitted accepting thousands of pounds of hospitality from the Church of Scientology.
Writing on an anti-Scientology website this week, the teenager says: "I need precedents, legal advice, definitions and defences.
"I intend to make a big folder with all the defence you can give me, and in case this does get through to court, I will be well prepared.
"Also, what's the likelihood I'll need a lawyer? If I do have to get one, it'll have to come out of my pocket money."
Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti this week described the decision to press for a prosecution as "barmy".
The Church of Scientology, founded by author L Ron Hubbard in the Fifties, teaches that humans are immortal spiritual beings known as thetans, who have passed through previous lives.
Tom Cruise and John Travolta are among its adherents.
Reader views (3)
What is the difference between a cult and a religion? Both ask you to suspend belief and reasoned logic. Both make demands on your life. Both will require you to adopt a different lifestyle to that of non-members. In many cases both will drain you financially.
At least this boy isn't going to be prosecuted so that is a victory for common sense.
There is a huge difference in criticising or condemning a religious belief system and those who follow it. It is quite one thing to criticise/condemn Scientology but we should be careful not to use our dislike of an ideology in a discriminatory manner against those who choose to follow it.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
A glimmer of common sense from the CPS! And perhaps the scientologists were afraid of adverse publicity were the case to go to court, eh?
- Mickey Smythe, Blighty
The police appear to be trying to halt inconvenient protest by making out that offending someone or the likelihood of offending someone is a criminal offence. If that were true all democratic debate would be silenced since every opinion offends someone.
The offence is the use of abusive language in the normal meaning of words. 'Cult' hardly falls into that category.
- Mike Newland, London England
