Critics, church stage protests
By GEORGE CORYELL of The Tampa Tribune

CLEARWATER - Scientology critics held a vigil for a dead 
member as church members marched on the police station.

Church of Scientology members turned out in force to picket 
Clearwater police headquarters Friday night, drawing attention 
away from church critics holding a candlelight vigil for a 
dead member a block away.

Church supporters surrounded the headquarters by 6:30 p.m., 
the time the vigil for 36-year-old Lisa McPherson was to 
start, chanting ``Sid Klein, what is your crime?''

As protesters got off church buses and took up prefabricated 
picket signs, some seemed unaware that Klein was the Clearwater 
police chief.

``I'm not from here,'' said one man, smiling as he carried 
his sign. ``Sorry.''

Church spokesman Brian Anderson said 4,000 church members 
came to show their frustration with what he called a 
campaign of harassment by the department. Police estimated 
the numbers closer to 1,500.

In a letter to the police, Anderson accused the department 
of working with protesters against the church. Another release 
from the church claimed McPherson wouldn't want the attention 
because the police ``hated her like they hate every other 
law-abiding Scientologist.''

``Had she been raped and robbed they wouldn't have lifted a 
finger, and she would be appalled at what they are doing now.''

Klein dismissed the accusations as absurd and demanded the 
church produce evidence that police were doing anything other 
than investigating a suspicious death.

The church protest drew attention away from fewer than 30 former 
church members who came to remember McPherson, who died on Dec. 5, 
1995, after a 17-day stay at the church's Fort Harrison Hotel.

Their placards bore photos of McPherson, who died of a blood clot 
brought on by ``severe dehydration and bed rest,'' according to 
an autopsy.

Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner Joan Wood determined 
McPherson went without fluids for at least five to 10 days and 
possibly for her entire stay at the hotel.

Church officials have called Wood a liar and say McPherson was 
well cared for. They say she suddenly fell ill on Dec. 5, 1995, 
and died that evening.

Last week, the church tried to block the vigil and a protest 
planned for today by asking the city to ban protesters from 
certain downtown sidewalks. Although that attempt failed, 
the church succeeded in getting temporary restraining orders 
against two men who planned to take part in today's protest.

Anderson said this week that the church had no plans for a 
counter-demonstration.

Although police thought an agreement had been reached 
this week that would have accommodated both groups, that 
was changed with the influx of church buses Friday.

Police met Thursday with church critics to warn them that a 
zero tolerance policy would be enforced on both sides - no 
violence, no spitting, no threats under penalty of jail.

Church officials were to meet with Klein Friday morning for the 
same message.  ``They never showed up,'' Klein said Friday 
night. ``Obviously they decided without telling us not to 
adhere to the agreement.''