Toronto Picket (Keith)
16 Mar 2002
hkhenson@cogeco.ca (Keith Henson)

Beautiful day! Bit brisk, but sunny. The unknown picker was busy, but Chris Wood and Android Cat met Gregg and me at noon. As usual I was across the street.

Brisk day for flyers, I was down to ones Arel brought me, some of Kristi's "Is Scientology breaking the law" and a batch of a posting by Poopsy Charmicheal.

Right after I got on station a scientologist came by and told me to quit what I was doing and go away. He said this about 6 times in his best tone 40. Next time I am going to try putting him in session. :-)

Later I had a guy in shades try to get in a fight with me. He claimed he had spent much time with scientologists and they had never tried to suck him in. I asked him if he was a scientologist and he claimed that I was defaming him <grin He seemed in shock to discover I had a tape recorder in my pocket. He went over and complained to the other picketers.

Gregg had a much more exciting time. The goon squad has come back. Bob Hill and Brian McPherson put in an appearance. Gregg had considerable interaction with Bobby. Bob was posted after a while out on the corner to keep scientologists from taking a flyer. A street person (in red) was giving Gregg a lot of trouble (he might have been egged on or ever paid by the org). After a while the street kid started getting violent--supposedly because Gregg's patter included a mention that the city would not subsidize a Hell's Angel's clubhouse but is providing a tax subsidy to scientology (kid claimed his uncle was a Hell's Angel chapter president). Mind you, Gregg has this large camera under his arm with the lens pointing out. Gregg has this really funny section where this street kid is told he is on tape. Total dismay "What!" in a high-pitched voice then "Oh F***" and then he splits.

Later Gregg read OT3 and clears the scientologists from the street. The cops arrived from Gregg's request. Gregg told them the street kid was gone. There was female street person who might have been the kid's gf. When the cops were looking at her Gregg told them she had been a peacemaker in the confrontation with the kid. She was amazed that he would protect her from the cops.

Good picket

Keith Henson