Our Scientology protest will take place across the weekend of 25th – 27th October 2024. This is where you will find information about where to be and when, and what to expect from the day.

If you are unable to attend in person, the march and protest will be live streamed on Apostate Alex’s Youtube Channel and shared on social media using the hashtag #IASProtest.

FRIDAY 25TH OCTOBER 2024

2:00PM – Meet at the junction between London Road and Railway Approach. Participants will be receive a short briefing on the rules and regulations applying specifically to our demonstration, the message we want to convey and what to expect from the day.

2:30PM – March begins.

The route is as follows: Heading south east along London Road to the roundabout junction with High Street and West Street; then turning west onto West Street, continuing onto Turners Hill Road and turning left onto Saint Hill Road. The march will conclude upon arrival at Saint Hill Manor and the demonstration will continue as a static protest.

3:30PM – March finishes

We intend to reach Saint Hill Manor between 3:15pm and 3.30pm. On conclusion of the march, we will gather in static protest outside the main gates.

Protestors are required to stay on public land, and not obstruct the entrance to Scientology’s property. We do not want to disrupt people attending the Scientology event and we are gathering solely to share a message of hope to those attending Saint Hill- kindness, compassion are the way forward!

8:00PM – Demonstration ends

The static demonstration will end as the IAS event begins. It is likely we will then gather at a nearby pub for dinner and a pint afterwards.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 26TH & 27TH OCTOBER, 2024

2:00PM ONWARDS – A static protest will take place at the gates of Saint Hill Manor.

The finer details – rules, what to bring and what to expect

The first portion of our march will take place without road closures so will need to stick to the pavements until we reach Saint Hill Road. Our route is as follows – head south east along London Road to the roundabout junction with High Street and West Street, then turn west onto West Street, continuing in that direction until turning onto Turners Hill Road. and finally, Saint Hill Road. It’s about a 45 minute walk, so please wear comfortable footwear!

We will then remain outside Saint Hill until the IAS event starts, likely between 7pm and 8pm. There is no march taking place on Saturday 26th or Sunday 27th October. These two days will be static protests only, so please make your own way directly to the demonstration site if you are joining us on those days too.

PROTEST RULES

• Absolutely no harassment or yelling abuse at the Scientologists. This is a peaceful protest and we want to carry a message of compassion, not attacks. Don’t forget – they are victims, not abusers.
• You MUST stay on public land at ALL times. The demonstration area will be on public land land outside the gates and for no reason should you try to ’sneak in’ or gain access to the IAS event. Before the march begins, we will host a short briefing for those taking part in which we will identify the areas in which we are allowed to demonstrate.
• Don’t be a dick. Scientology are more than likely to plant a handful of people in our group who will subtly try to rile us up in an attempt to cause an altercation. If you find yourself in a heated situation, just take a step back and reset for a minute. We will have a security guard with us at all times and ask protestors to co-operate with him and the Police, who are expected to be present for most of the day.
• Scientology’s goal is to silence our voices and will do anything they possibly can to prevent the protest from continuing. Any excuse they can find to claim harassment will be used against us as and may prevent the Council and Police from supporting us in any future demonstrations. It is vitally important you stay vigilant, take regular breaks and treat everybody in the area with respect.
• SAFEGUARD YOURSELF – please come equipped with a camera if you have one so that we can record as much of the day as possible between us. Video footage will also help protect you in the event there are any accusations thrown at us.
• Anyone refusing to respect Scientology’s private property, inciting violence or hurling insults at passers by will be asked to leave. Please respect the organising team and comply with their requests should any changes need to be made on the day.
• The Police will be present to protect us, but also to keep us in line – So please, don’t be a dick.

TRAVEL INFORMATION & LOGISTICS

• It will be cold and we will be outside for an extended period of time. Please wrap up warm, wear comfy shoes and don’t forget it will be dark when we leave. If you have a
  hi-vis jacket, bring this with you too!
• Bring a flashlight! Get creative and why not wrap your placard or banner in LED fairy lights? Things like this not only add a bit of fun to the day, but also help us to be seen in the dark.
• Don’t forget to keep yourselves fed and hydrated – please make sure you have plenty of snacks and a bottle of water with you. Saint Hill is on a country lane in the middle of nowhere and there are no shops nearby.
• Please make your own way to the event on Friday. There are plenty of parking spaces in town and our meeting place in East Grinstead is a short walk from the train station, which serves a direct line to London.
• After the protest, you are welcome to join us at the pub for a pint and a debrief before heading home and getting ready to do it all over again.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please do be prepared for lots of cameras – you will be captured on film at this event by other protestors, Scientology and the media. We are expecting a cohort of journalists and press photographers to cover the protest. If you wish to stay anonymous please consider a mask or costume to add a bit of fun to the day. We also encourage those taking part to share posts from the protest on social media using the hashtag #IASProtest.

We are expecting a smaller turnout on Saturday & Sunday and there will be a static demonstration on these days only. If you intend on joining the protest over the weekend, please arrive at the site for 2:00pm.

Perhaps most importantly: be kind to each other, and don’t forget to have fun.

Should you need to contact the protest organisers, please use the email address at the footer of this website. They will make themselves known on the day should anything arise while taking part.