In addition to taking photographs and video footage, Scientologists are known to follow activists after they leave a protest site.  For this reason Anonymous has compiled a number of suggestions on ways to help you stay safe.  

  

PRE-PROTEST  

- Consider changing your hair color.  It may aid in slowing down their identification of you.    

 

- If male, consider a change to your facial hair.  If you have a beard/goatee - consider shaving it off AFTER the protest.    

 

- Get acquainted with the area surrounding the protest-site.  Know the relative locations of Police Stations. 

 

- Plan multiple routes away from the area - visit the area and travel along these routes beforehand at least once or twice.  

 

- Purchase a rape-whistle or other loud sound-making device.  IF LEGAL IN YOUR AREA: Consider an air-horn as it has multiple purposes. (As well as an attention-getter if you are followed, an air-horn can be used to deter Scientologists who are harassing you at the protest.  Remember to not fire it directly at their face or ears as the level of sound from an air-horn is potentially deafening, and that is assault.  Firing a loud blast at your side however, is startling and may back them off.) . Pack these items for Protest Day. 

 

-Look up stalking laws for your area.  Google is your friend.   

 

-FOR THE TRULY PARANOID: Read THE GIFT OF FEAR .   

  

  

PROTEST DAY   

- Avoid wearing bright colors as well as anything that you wear on a regular basis. 

 

- Consider wearing two shirts.  When departing you can either abandon the top-shirt in a safe place or merely reverse them.  

 

- Consider taking Mass Transit or a cab to the protest site.     

 

- If you MUST take your own vehicle - park far away from the protest site.  

 

- If legal in your area, wear a mask.  If not legal - scarves, sunglasses and hats are your best friends.  

 

-Be sure to cover or hide anything that could be used to specifically identify you such as visible tattoos, piercings or odd haircuts/color. 

 

-Wear your rape-whistle underneath your clothing or keep your air-horn in your pocket.    

 

-Do not give out any information.  

 

-Stay with the group. 

 

-If you are operating a camera at the event and are assigned a vantage point away from the group, keep a few Anons with you - preferably ones known to you.  

  

LEAVING THE PROTEST  

-AT BARE MINIMUM TRAVEL IN PAIRS.  GROUPS OF THREE OR MORE ARE EVEN BETTER.  

  

-There is the distinct possibility that OSA operatives will attend AFTER-PROTEST PARTIES and wait for you to demask.  As fun as they would be, this Anonymous encourages you to NOT take part in any post-protest get-togethers with Anons or persons unknown to you.  If you feel compelled to Party Hard with your fellow protesters, no photographs should be taken and Anons should be vigilant in observing individuals in the area who may be taking pictures or monitoring the group excessively. 

  

- Travel through highly populated and well lit areas whenever possible.  

  

- Travel quickly and with purpose but without fear.   

 

- If on foot, keep a distance between yourself and your pursuer - your rape-whistle and/or air-horn is invaluable in attracting the attention of nearby-public to your situation.

  

- Take a route home that circles back on itself, being careful to observe vehicles or persons at each turn.  If one stays with you every turn, they are likely a tail  

  

- Where possible, take a route that utilizes a long, straight stretch of freeway.  If they cannot predict when you will exit the freeway, they will be forced to stay close to you.  Consider finding a bridge or other section of freeway that splits into multiple paths at the end.  

  

- Plan for stops at places that you do not normally visit.  Observe other persons or vehicles who stop there - if they stop at more than one of your 'odd stops', you possibly have a tail.  

  

- If you determine that you are being followed CALL THE POLICE AND HEAD DIRECTLY TO THE NEAREST POLICE STATION OR POLICE OFFICER.  Do not stop, do not pass go, do not collect $200. 

  

- Collect information on your pursuer as best you can – physical description, license plate numbers, vehicle color and make are all important facts to relay to police officers. 

  

- Be aware of your ‘gut instinct’.  If something feels ‘wrong’ or someone seems ‘suspicious’ to you, they probably ARE. 

  

POST PROTEST AND BEYOND  

- Upon arriving at your vehicle, check the tires for damage.  There have been past reports of Scientologists letting the air out of protestors’ tires. 

  

- Vary your routes to and from work, school or other frequently visited locations.  Be vigilant and take notice of faces and vehicles around you.  

  

- Inform your friends, family, roommates, apartment managers and even co-workers to be on the look out for strange or suspicious individuals.  Make it clear to them that they are NOT to give out your personal information.  Insist that if anyone comes looking for your personal information that they are to take a get the contact information of the person seeking yours. 

  

- Consider the amount of information you have put out on the internet about yourself before engaging in discussion of your protest-activities online.  Your location/the protest you attended will be a huge help for anyone trying to track down information on you.