Good evening/morning/afternoon: I have been requested to create a thread informing the anon. community of our movement outside St. John's Church in Tunbridge Wells. The movement is relatively small at the moment, but the church ground means that we won't be going anywhere until dismissed by the vicar, who supports us. Support is greatly appreciated. Search for us on twitter and facebook! Camping or not, feel free to show your face (Or, if you're anon, simply make an appearance) If you are happy to provide it, we would appreciate lamps or torches, (light is a pretty big issue!) flattened cardboard boxes for the mud, and general camping gear- an empty oil drum would be especially helpful. We are the 99%!
Mixed responses... surprising amount of support, actually! The camp is really close to a few schools, so older students come over to the camp every so often.
Lovely - well done. Can you tell everyone there about this: http://tinyurl.com/SciTax and get them to sign it, tweet it.
Update: we don't need an oil drum any more, but flat cardboard, a large tent, any source of light and hot water bottles would be extremely helpful! Thanks to all, and if you can't provide anything feel free to drop in and say hello!
It seems to be to be pretty pathetic that with all the big issues in the world, you seem to be getting stressed about Scientologists. The last census said there were 1781 Scientologists in Britain. Grow up.
It's not the only thing we are opposed to. Take a moment to look us up on Facebook or twitter. @TWuncut
We're not interested in what you have to say if all you have to say is irrelevant. This thread was started to inform people of our protest and answer questions anyone has about us. Our main twitter account: @occupytw
Which 'we' is that? Occupy? Anonymous? WWP? Or was that the 'royal we'? Exactly. For those unfamiliar with Tunbridge Wells, it's a small town in the English countryside which has a reputation for being about the most middle-class, smugly self-satisfied, reactionary place in the country. A "bastion of Conservative values" , to quote the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/02/99/e-cyclopedia/318036.stm I'm unsure if that makes Occupy Tunbridge Wells utterly ridiculous or long-overdue. Perhaps a little of both. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disgusted_of_Tunbridge_Wells Actually you're the 20% http://labs.yougov.co.uk/news/2011/11/11/occupy-london-protests/ (probably less as Tunbridge Wells is likely more right-wing on average than London). But best of luck with the protest.
"We" being the protest group who put up this thread. Occupy Tunbridge Wells began purely because it's where we who wish to try and make a difference happen to live. It's just the name... we didn't come up with it. Thank you for the wish of luck!
I understand you have other issues, but Scientology seems an odd one to take on....are you led by American concerns?
If Blink and his group are 'taking on' scientology, along with other issues of concern to them, then I applaud their efforts though I don't live in the UK nor am I led by American concerns. The entire scientology enterprise is global and has many front groups. One of those front groups Narconon has a toehold in addiction treatment programming here in Canada. It is a money-making scam and delivers programming that has been debunked by the medical community. There are inquiries underway and more to come. (Feel free to lurk http://forums.whyweprotest.net/forums/narconon.227/ if you would like more information.) Blink's efforts in one small corner of the scientology world add to those of many many others. If you feel those efforts are unimportant perhaps you could do some research on the taxes that are lost due to scientology stretching/breaking rules to gain full or partial exemption. There are threads on this site exploring many of those examples.
Updates: PCSOs turned up and asked when we were planning to leave. They practically admitted to pressuring the vicar into asking us to move on. There is a funeral this Wednesday, and the PCSO urged us to leave for that, out of respect. At camp we figured we should probably ask the family what they think. The torn down banner is badly damaged, probably beyond repair. We made and put up a smaller one as a replacement. The fourth pod is up in the main tent! Coming up there is a the annual Christmas tree selling thingy. Initially requested was that we leave for this, but negotiation is open. Note: Anyone spraying banners, the two golden cans spray blue and black paint.
No pictures yet, but should have some up tomorrow evening Anyone in the TW area, we need a few more people tomorrow so others can get offsite from 11am to 4pm. All help appreciated!
We are all led by our own concerns. Scientology is a clandestine, criminal extremist group that radicalises the people it recruits. It has tax breaks in the UK despite being neither recognised as a religion nor as a charity in the UK. In the present climate scientology is a very relevant target for concern/activism. It should be held to account for the harm it has done globally over the last 50 years. For further information I suggest you read http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/atack/ instead of asking fuckwit questions here.
When will you ever learn that a pathetic protest like yours on a church green will do no good what so ever in the great scheme of things here in the UK or worldwide.... Its Law abiding citizens like me that end up paying your job seekers allowances every week anyhow, so what gives you the right to protest about tax's in this country ???? & its only because of loop holes in our pathetic civil laws in this country that your able to do so & squat on land , you are all simply a bunch of hipocrites...!!!!! Your cheap and rather disgusting camp is an eyesore on my community and yes if you haven't already guessed, I am a local resident & not best pleased of your presence @ St John's..... Grow up & Go home..... Ps - Hope we have an extremely cold winter in 2011/2012...!!!!!
^ Disgusted, of Tunbridge Wells. I think it's working, guys. Goddam those loopholes in the law that allow peaceful protest and camping with the landowner's permission!
You think its working by winding up local residents ???? Oh well Done... Hats off to you........ Top protest....!!!!!! Bravo...!!!!
I have in fact but spoken to the Church and they have said you do not have the permission of Giles Walter the vicar and you DO NOT have the permission to be on HIS land.. So as when as being a squatter you are now also a liar...!!! You were served a notice by the Vicar to move on on Sunday @ 12pm which you have chosen not too take any notice of..... So when you say you have the landowner's permission.... it is only making this protest even more of a farce and uncredible...!!!! Do us all a favour and MOVE ON....!!!!!!!
Hey, I'm not one of the protestors - just an interested bystander. #OTW, do you have any comment to make on Disgusted's poorly-punctuated allegations?
I understand your concerns about ruffians and criminals occupying lands and demanding an equal share of the feast, but attacking them for hoisting a petition about illegal tax evaders seems... an odd one to take on, too. Curious that Blink had not said anything about Scientology in this thread (or any other thread) until you brought up the subject and "pulled it in" as they say. Also, great first post! and welcome to Why We Protest activism forums.
If anyone can be bothered to contact Rev Giles Walter and ask him whether the protestors do indeed have the landowner's permission to protest (or are 'a farce and uncredible...!!!!') then here's his contact details: churchoffice@stjohnstw.org 01892 540897 I have to say, I was pretty much anti- this protest (I'm pretty much anti- all this #OWS pantomime) but if Anon above is representative of the local residents, then he's changing my mind for me.
Names and badge numbers? In Tunbridge Wells, do the police usually take a position on politics? I'm guessing not.
^ Looks pretty peaceful and inoffensive to me. I hope there's tea and cake. Looks like there might be. Is there a raffle?
