06 Dec 2000

"Bazooka Joe" <j_xenu@hotmail.com>

I arrived in Clearwater Sat. AM. At first I explored downtown, checked out the crafts fair/farmer's market that was set up in Cleveland St. east of Ft. Harrison.

It's one thing to read about Co$ buildings like the Bank building, Ft. Harrison etc. in ARS but another to see them in person. When I walked down Watterson I soon had a cameraman filming me. I knew I was in the right town then! The cameraman offered me some papers. Later I recognized them as the court order that the clams were "serving" on the picketers. I refused and continued walking past the imfamous "white lines", the Lisa Trust building and around the corner to Ft. Harrison Ave.

When I went past the Lisa Trust building (other side) I looked through the door. What did I see? The cameraman filming me through the other door! (The Lisa Mcpherson Trust building has 2 glass doors on either end of a hallway)

I then walked around the Ft. Homicide and the under construction Super Power building. The picket was underway across the street from the Ft. Harrison in front of the Super Power building. The main sidewalk was in a construction tunnel while the picketers were on a piece of sidewalk between the tunnel and the street. I walked past the picket, and when I got to the point where the sidewalk outside the tunnel ended I was admonished by Jeff Jacobson (whom I didn't recognize) to keep off the grass. This triggered memories of my last picket several years ago when the clams were telling us to "keep moving" "don't photograph me" "stay off the grass" etc. so I thought he was a clam handling the picketers! I ignored him. Sorry, Jeff!

Later I went back and asked a picketer if they had any spare signs. She pointed me to Jeff and when I asked him he was suspicious of me from our earlier encounter. Once I agreed to the rules he let me have a sign. He explained how the cops gave lots of rules (mostly from the injunction on LMT members) and one rule was keep off the grass. A small patch of grass near the big length of grass was "legal" somehow.

The clams were non-confront (the injunction said they had to keep 10' from picketers) except for cameramen (6 or so at a time sometimes) and the "process server" serving copies of the injunction on anyone who crossed to the other side of the street (which was legal if you weren't picketing at the time) At one time someone walked up Ft. Harrison shouting obscenities at the Scientologists. The cops (lots of cops) arrested him for disorderly conduct. No other major events I saw, but apparently there was another arrest earlier. Several TV stations interviewed us. At least 3 TV stations covered the vigil/picket that night. One caught the arrest I saw.

I was surprised at the turnout for the candlelight vigil that evening. Over 50, I think. I'll try to count when I develop the pictures (if they come out - I'll see if 1600 speed film with no flash by candlelight comes out) The prayers and bagpipe were moving. Also Lisa's relatives - it's one thing to read of her death on ARS but it's another thing when you see their grief in person. We took the wreath to the back of the Ft. Harrison and we filed past the wreath one by one blowing out our candles. After this the minister admonished some clam for videotaping the whole thing and showing no respect. The clam didn't do anything, just kept filming. They really do have all emotions and courtesy audited out of them. Also almost as soon as the last mourner left, the clams scurried off with the wreath. And as the mourners walked toward Cleveland St. a "process server" was serving the injunction on some of the mourners. No respect. Some were issued subpoenas to give depositions at some lawsuit as well.

Sun. AM we picketed again. Nothing unusual. We broke for lunch, and afterwards I went back to the Ft. Homicide, I picketed by myself for about 45 minutes, then later joined the others who were picketing at the Coachman/Bank buildings. Later I got a tour of the Lisa Trust building by Jesse. They're great people.

All in all it was great to see many people in person who were just names in ARS before now. I had a great time!

"Bazooka Joe"