Government in St. Gallen, Switzerland forces anti-Scientology activists to withdraw

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Government in St. Gallen, Switzerland forces anti-Scientology activists to withdraw.

Original story:

Tagblatt: Anti-Scientology-Aktivisten ziehen sich aus St.Gallen zurück





Google translation:

Anti-Scientology activists are withdrawing from St.Gallen




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Anti-Scientology activists are withdrawing from St.Gallen

They have been fighting against Scientology for years, but the opponents of the sect are now giving up their fight against the St. Gallen authorities.

David Gadze
03.12.2019, 05.00 clock

The Free Anti-Scientology activists (Fasa) give up the fight. Not those against Scientology, but those against the St.Gallen authorities. Since June of this year, the Fasa are mobilizing against the sect and warn pedestrians with signs and with words in their booth actions throughout Switzerland. So also several times in the city of St.Gallen, without significant incidents. However, the city police have recently made the Fasa counteractions subject to licensing because of "increased public use of the public land", although the Fasa are usually traveling in pairs only - a controversial measure (issue of 22 November). The Fasa have made recourse to the cantonal building department against this license requirement. On the one hand, they are resisting the obligation to obtain licenses on the one hand, and of the requirement to maintain a minimum distance of 20 meters (instead of the previous ten meters) to the status of Scientology. "We must not approach them, but at the same time, Scientology staff can stand next to us and blame us with their signs to defame the sect," says Yolanda Sandoval Künzi. She launched the Fasa together with her husband on February 14, 2019.

Only: For the official costs of the recourse, the Fasa would have to make an advance payment of 1500 francs. "We can not do that," says Yolanda Sandoval. On the club account are 50 francs, she and her husband would this year even renounced the holidays to pay for the expenses for the actions throughout Switzerland can. The 1,500 francs - plus any legal fees - are simply too much for the couple from Basel.

«Freedom of opinion has been broken»

Yolanda Sandoval speaks of a "threefold sanctioning": The obligation to obtain licenses, the doubling of the minimum distance and the advance on costs would ultimately have led the Fasa to avoid the city of St.Gallen in future if Scientology is represented with a stand. Also on the already approved by the city police counteractions from next Saturday and from 21 December want to participate the Free Anti-Scientology activists. "We do not feel like confrontation."

For Yolanda Sandoval it is certainly certain that the city police had to pay the wrong people in the end, namely Scientology. "And what's more, freedom of expression has been shored up in St.Gallen."

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