An anti-psychiatry protest march that was planned to depart from the Church of Scientology London this morning did not go ahead after the City of London Police discovered they had failed to obtain the required permits.
Last week our sources told us Scientology had a protest march planned under the banner of their ‘Citizens Commission on Human Rights’ (CCHR) front group. It was due to depart at 11am from their London headquarters at 146 Queen Victoria Street near Blackfriars, although the intended route had not been published.
Under sections 11(1) and 11(3) of the Public Order Act 1986 organisers are required to give the Police at least six working days’ notice ahead of any planned protest marches and processions, which Scientology failed to do.
A flyer sent to us promoting the march said “Join us for the march against psychiatric abuses through the heart of London to demand accountability, transparency and reform in the field of psychiatry. This march stands in solidarity with survivors and those affected by coercive psychiatric practices, harmful medications, institutional neglect, violations of basic human rights under the guise of mental health treatment.”
No reference was made to the coercive control, neglect and human rights violations Scientology themselves have been accused of by former members.
When we contacted the City of London Police to ask whether CCHR or Scientology had notified them about their plans for a march, we received the following reply:
Thank you for your enquiry. The City of London Police have not been notified of a Protest march taking place on Monday 28th April 2025 at 1100hrs from the Church of Scientology London Headquarters, 146 Queen Victoria Steet.
Are you the organiser of this event, as it is unclear from your email?
If such a protest march was to take place, we would require six days notice of the intended route and as an organiser you would need to provide stewards and have a plan for the safety of the participants in the protest march. In addition, we would require the details listed below:-
Under sections 11(1) and 11(3) of the Public Order Act 1986, you must tell us at least six working days before the procession is due to take place.
· Date and time of the event
· event start point and route
· number of people you think will be at the event
· your organisation’s name and address
· planned meetings before or after the event
· names of anyone scheduled to speak
· links to any publicity material
· dates when you’ll be available to meet us
If you or anyone who is planning to organise such an event, would like to discuss it, please call my number as below.
Email from the City of London Police, 23rd April 2025
We visited the Church today to see whether the march went ahead, and it appears to have been cancelled. Arriving before 11am, we stayed opposite London Org until around 12.30pm and although we saw CCHR representatives coming and going from the property there was no sign of any protest march.
Scientology are currently seeking a protest ban outside its UK headquarters near East Grinstead in Sussex, with the proposed Public Spaces Protection Order currently being reviewed by Mid Sussex District Council. A decision is expected to be made some time in the summer.
CCHR is one of Scientology’s many ‘social betterment programs’ – front groups it uses to claim legitimate public benefit. Its goal is to end psychiatry, which Scientologists believe is a dangerous industry funded by Big Pharma. Other front groups include Narconon, a drug rehabilitation program and Criminon, which teaches Scientology principles to inmates in several prisons across the UK.
