Picket Report: Hollywood Mirthday Celebration
24 Mar 2002
bk-pettycrew@home.com (Bruce Pettycrew)

For some reason the LRH Birthday Celebration was held a week later this year but, party animal that I am, I couldn't miss it.

I flew into Burbank on Saturday morning, rented a car and drove into Hollywood to meet with other picketers over lunch.

Our group consisted of about 10 participants and two reporters/documentors. Present were Jeff Jacobsen, Tory/Magoo, Barb, Snefru, Graham and other SP's whose names I cannot recall or who are not public critics known to the OSA.

We picketed the LRH Life Exhibit and the "Test Center" (both are on Hollywood Blvd.) Saturday afternoon. When we arrived at the LRH Life site, they pulled their people into the building. A short while later Eliot Abelson showed up to stand around and watch. I gave out almost 50 flyers that Jeff had run off, detailing the lies about Hubbard's academics, military experience, etc.

We also picketed the building across from the Museum, which sports a Sea Org insignia. There was a lot of traffic there and late in the afternoon busses began loading to take the members to the birthday event at the Shrine Auditorium.

After an hour or so at the LRH Exhibit, most of us moved about a half mile up Hollywood Blvd to picket the "Test Center".

As usual, we picketers received lots of support from the public- and it was very crowded near the Test Center, which is only a block from where the Academy Awards will be presented tonight.

After a short break, we re-grouped at the Shrine Auditorium, where we took up posts near the main parking entrances so that the attendees would have to see our signs. Jeff and I unfurled the "WWW.XENU.NET" banner, which is about 8 feet by 4 feet. Given the Google foot-bullet, this banner was extremely appropriate. In fact, several people I talked to at the Test Center picket brought up the subject. Truly, the Internet IS the Vietnam of the CoS.

It was then that the CoS made it's only attempt to obstruct the pickets- they brought out about 5 people with signs on sticks that read "Welcome to the Event" or "Event Here" and tried to block our signs/banners. However, Graham was able to position himself between a lightpost and the curb, so that most arriving guests must have seen the sign "LRH Died on Psych Drugs" as they entered the lot. Jeff and I took the large banner across the street, where it was just as visible to arrivals and the public.

The event was supposed to start at 7:00, but people were still arriving until almost eight o'clock, when we finally furled our banner and departed for the night.

I took a number of pictures, which I will post to ABS later this week.

Bruce Pettycrew