Major newspaper calls out Scientology for harassment of UK critics

The United Kingdom’s third largest newspaper has criticised the Church of Scientology for the “barrage of abuse” it has directed at protestors in a double-page exposé. In the article, Observer journalist Shanti Das writes “campaigners face online attacks, claims of criminality and complaints to employers. The Church says it’s the victim.”

The article, which ranked in the top 5 most-read articles today, details how the Metropolitan Police are investigating the targeted harassment of Scientology Business Editor Alex Barnes-Ross and other protestors in what the Observer describes as an “orchestrated human effort” to silence critics.

“Over the past six months, Barnes-Ross has faced a barrage of abuse – with 6,000 posts targeted at him on X alone”, the article states. “At first, the posts mostly taunted him with insults, saying he looked like a “weirdo paedophile” and branding him a “rabid anti-religious bigot”. Others questioned his mental health, calling him “disturbed” and “unhinged”. “Face it … you are a schizophrenic,” said one. More recently, the messages have accused him of “crimes”. “He knows his crimes. Stop the lies!!!!” one said.”

The piece describes how Austen Waite, a teacher who joined a protest outside Scientology’s UK headquarters in 2023, was also targeted by Scientology. “Waite was told that the school where he worked had received a complaint against him,” writes Das. “A letter from Janet Laveau, a senior figure within Scientology in the UK, alleged safeguarding issues, accused Waite of bullying and claimed he was unsafe around children”

His employer subsequently initiated disciplinary procedures – as is standard when safeguarding concerns are raised – but found Scientology’s claims to be “unsubstantiated” and noted Mr. Waite’s “consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct.”

Janet Laveau is currently the Managing Director of the Church of Scientology Religious Education College Inc (COSRECI), the UK branch of the controversial group. Her role as head of the Office of Special Affairs means she is responsible for Scientology’s attacks against critics.

Of course, Scientology denied the allegations made against it, claiming The Observer‘s accusations were “manifestly false”, but fell short of denying the existence of L. Ron Hubbard’s policy to attack critics, rather than defend itself.

The Observer is the Sunday edition of The Guardian newspaper, a well-respected media outlet in the United Kingdom and today’s coverage will be considered yet another ‘major flap’ for Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs. The latest statistics provided by Hurst Media show the paper has a weekly print readership in excess of 500,000 and according to the Press Gazette, its website rakes in 21.2 million views per month.

You can read the article in full in today’s print edition of The Observer and on The Guardian‘s website.