Part 82: False LAPD Narratives and Other Conspiracies – The Squirrel Squad Parties in Hollywood

Published February 25, 2024

Photo of Los Angeles Police Department officers speaking with activist William Gude and others in Hollywood near the La Poubelle Bistro and Bar by author (GoPro Hero 11 Black).

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By Zachary Ellison, Independent Journalist

The press release from the Los Angeles Police Department Public Information Office came late last Sunday night after the 4 arrests made the preceding Friday night. It accuses the protestors colloquially known as the Squirrel Squad in joking reference to the terminology used by the Church of Scientology to describe dissidents and critics it believes to be undermining its authority. LAPD had moved in early, making one arrest for criminal threats relating to the initial episode on January 19 after a suspected member of the Church of Scientology punched well-known ex-Scientologist influencer Aaron Smith-Levin in the head on Hollywood Boulevard.

This protestor would be the last of four arrested that night to make it out of jail on bond after altercations with patrons at the La Poubelle Bistro & Bar at the intersection of Franklin and Bronson opposite the secretive organizations Celebrity Center. Two were released after one night with charges still pending, and a fourth known by his handle as the “Defender of Ants” would make it out after 5 nights in Men’s Central Jail. I greeted him at the Hollywood Police Station that same night getting a bear hug from the sizable man still in his blue prison scrubs and in search of his property seized by the LAPD with the charges being dropped against him.

“I’ve never seen anything like man, people just lying on the floor, and we got there are like 6 in the morning, and we were there for 13, 14 hours, cots, metal benches” DOA says shaking his head, “it’s like a dungeon” he concludes. “I’ve been in a few bullpens and that one is one of a kind” he says with a smile, before activist William Gude remarks, “Third world country going on.” Gude had bailed out the final young protestor himself, telling us as we left the Hollywood Station that night, “Now don’t anyone else get arrested” with a laugh. Now better known as “Scientology Audit (Streets LA” than by his other handle “FilmThePoliceLA” the live streamed protests have attracted perhaps at least tens of millions of views across social media platforms.

DOA as well as the two younger protestors had all been booked for “California Penal Section 182 – Conspiracy and 22810 – Unlawful Use of Tear Gas” according to LAPD’s press release “Three Arrested at Scene of Protest NR24067ti” with the claim being made that “The officers’ investigation revealed that the battery crimes and the unlawful use of tear gas were committed by multiple suspects whose actions were planned, organized, and coordinated.” This wasn’t true and in fact from what I’ve gathered the protestors arrested for these charges on February 16 hadn’t even used any chemical substance that night themselves, although one had done so.

The younger two arrested had actually been assaulted by patrons with DOA coming to their defense along with bouncers for La Poubelle, which is being targeted for protest because its owner Françoise Koster closely associated and supported convicted rapist actor Danny Masterson. Nor had any pepper spray, which is legal to carry up to 2.5 fluid ounces for self-defense, been “planned, organized and coordinated” in any way. LAPD’s statement made the intention of the arrests clear: “The investigation included evidence that tear gas canisters were distributed for purposeful use against others upon confronting and baiting them into physical altercations.”

Except there was no evidence to prove that anything had been “distributed for purposeful use” and so it was no surprise that the prosecutors under District Attorney George Gascón have dropped the charges against DOA. Nor has any been presented by LAPD to date to substantiate these claims with the melee being almost completely filmed except for the actual usage of pepper spray that night and showing clear evidence that the protestors in fact had been unduly assaulted. LAPD describes two altercations, and in both, it’s clear that the patrons act aggressively toward the protestors for simply being there with signs, smartphones, and bullhorns.

The second act described is inarguably most ridiculous with the assailant openly smoking a marijuana blunt in front of the establishment before smoking a cigarette and then attacking protestors before being tackled. Now there is widespread debate about whether this is simply for “clicks” or street entertainment if you will, but again mockery is no crime, and the First Amendment protections to speech and assembly in public are solid, as is the right to film in public places. LAPD’s arrests were not only baseless, but clearly the result of a suppression strategy that’s been brewing for the last month plus to end these demonstrations with a combination of indifference and retaliation.

I’ve yet to witness LAPD station any officers regularly at the scene to act as a deterrent despite the repeated calls to the location for both police and fire service. As the week went on from Tuesday’s jailhouse release to more minor incidents of patrons assaulting protestors usually by knocking their phones out of their hands, or swinging purses, or flicking cigarettes the question of who exactly was keeping the peace per say in the streets of Hollywood became more difficult to answer. Thursday night officers had yet again been called, and as they were leaving a woman with long blonde hair got into it with ex-Scientologist Lara Anderson, who grew up in Scientology before leaving it. The woman was upset with the idea of being filmed, and despite me cautioning that the LAPD were right behind her threw a burning cigarette.

LAPD was quickly flagged down again and the officers arrested the woman with the long blonde hair as tears streamed down her face placing her in the back of their Ford Explorer SUV. No one is sure whether she will be prosecuted, or cited, and for the most part the protesters speculated that as usual LAPD most likely simply took her around the corner and cut her loose. Aaron Smith-Levin, known by his handle “Growing Up In Scientology” had spent 4 hours inside the Hollywood Station handcuffed to a metal bench before being cut loose after taking a punch to the head that caused significant bruising visible in a photograph taken after the January incident before returning to Clearwater, Florida where the Church has a significant presence.

That night at the Hollywood Station, I had shown the “Defender of Ants” LAPD’s statement about the incident and he read it on my iPhone 8 with a smile and a slight laugh at the word “conspiracy” in the station’s filthy lobby with what looked and smelled like urine on the floor. In prison you don’t get the news, and the youngest arrested Squirrel even witnessed LAPD watching a Scientology commercial, telling him what a great religion and presence it was in Los Angeles. None of the protestors who were I arrested spoken with, 3 of the 4 have expressed any further animosity toward the LAPD for the false arrests despite the financial and emotional cost, with hearings scheduled for the two arrested for conspiracy and unlawful use of tear gas scheduled to return to court on March 13 for a hearing on the two felony charges.

The Los Angeles Times was less charitable to the protests with journalist Noah Goldberg’s story being headlined “‘There’s a war going on’: L.A. anti-Scientology protests bring arrests, attack allegations” with Goldberg writing on February 21 that “Gude and his gaggle of anti-Scientology protesters are brawling publicly with the organization.” He further describes that “The tactics of the protesters can be frustrating to their targets: They approach Scientology properties and yell at and record people — though they do so on public property, which is legal.” Strangely, Goldberg’s piece interviews Church of Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw claiming that “protesters have called in bomb and fire threats” without giving them any chance to respond.

Goldberg and presumably his editors allow Pouw to claim uncontested without any investigation that the protestors are “costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money, denying important public services for real needs in our community, disturbing the peace and disturbing places of worship.” Now I’m not saying that the protestors aren’t confrontational, but to date, despite numerous nights in the field in Hollywood, I’ve yet to see any Squirrels make 911 calls for such a purpose. In fact, the case is the opposite, it’s quite obviously the Church of Scientology doing so with impunity with the apparent tacit blessing of the highest powers in city government. Both the City Attorney’s Office and the Mayor’s Office have failed to respond to my request for comment about why no one is being held to account.

The Los Angeles Times article certainly could have used some investigation given the entire episode on February 16 was almost completely captured on protestors live streams and can be easily found online. Goldberg writes: “Details from the Los Angeles Police Department about the three Feb. 16 arrests are scarce and shrouded in bureaucratic language” before incorrectly identifying the protestor using pepper spray that night and noting that he did review some of the video. Goldberg at least quotes one protestor from the interview: “I don’t raise my voice at anybody. I’m the most peaceful protester. I don’t assault anybody…I honestly don’t know why I was arrested. My head was spinning. Why am I being arrested when I didn’t put my hands on anybody?” There’s nothing so scary as the moment those cuffs go on you and your arms stiffen.

Scientology’s spokeswoman Pouw did not respond to Goldberg about “claims of retaliation against protesters.” He then quotes William Gude, “It’s a constant thing…We’ve preached, ‘Guys, you just have to take it.’ This is not about me. It’s about us, the movement.” Many people who have seen Gude in action note his loud confrontations with LAPD officers demanding accountability with vehemence. Smith-Levin for his part when he ran for City Council in Clearwater, Florida according to a Tampa Bay Times report in 2022 was reported to have gotten into altercations at bars for being similarly boisterous. Being loud though in and of itself is not illegal, yelling is not a crime so long as no threats of violence or stalking are being made.

The LAPD Internal Affairs investigation into LAPD’s January arrest of Smith-Levin remains open, and as of yet no similar follow-up statement has been issued by LAPD in regards to the arrests on February 16 at La Poubelle, which means “trash can” in French. That LAPD is still making arrests related to the January 19 incident while its under investigation is most interesting and raises concerns about if the LAPD really understood the concern about its handling of cases under scrutiny. Strangely enough I’ve seen both the assailant on January 19, Patrick Perry as well as Officer Tim Talman who is at the center of the police response that day around Hollywood lately. Talman tells Smith-Levin on video: “We are going to try to facilitate a peaceful resolution of this situation, if that’s possible” before then asserting: “Ok, just so you know, more than likely you’re going to be arrested for the felony stalking.” It’s unclear what criminal threat the first individual arrested on February 16 made on January 19 that would lead to a later date arrest.

Strangely enough, in the last week I’ve seen both Perry in Hollywood while writing at a Denny’s and Talman later the next night nearby after leaving the scene at La Poubelle Bistro & Bar. According to protestors, Perry now walks around with a body camera and according to a Newsbreak article Perry had “several pocketknives” as well as his pitbull with him when he attacked Smith-Levin. None of this was sufficient though to keep him away from Los Angeles, with Smith-Levin returning to Los Angeles alongside the niece of embattled Scientology leader David Miscavige and an entourage returning last night for a protest at the so-called “Blue Building” on Sunset Boulevard before returning to the new epicenter at La Poubelle.

As I arrived later at the Gelson’s Market opposite La Poubelle, I spotted a group of Squirrels in hot pursuit of a man in a tan jacket who had punched DOA and struck another protester. We went north on Bronson until the intersection of Hollyridge Drive where the man proudly pointed out Danny Masterson’s former residence before disappearing into the homes above on the Hills. Returning to the restaurant, the atmosphere with so many people there was like a party. Ice cream and pizza were in abundance, and in time we crossed the street to unroll a long sheet of butcher paper with the names of former members of the Church of Scientology who have spoken out against the group as well as those who died within the alleged cult wrongfully nearly 40 feet in length.

Former Scientologist Liz Gale took the bullhorn and addressed the assembled Squirrels and friends saying, “people who lived the lies of abuse at the hands of Scientology, we are no strangers, this is it.” She continued, “If you produce 100 people who say that they were abused” before breaking down in tears at the painful memories. Critics and former members have alleged that the Church shows a complete disregard to the reporting of sexual assault as well as toward children, charges that at least in the Danny Masterson case were fully and completely sustained. Gale continued, “My brother is on this list, my brother didn’t make it out of Scientology alive.”

Liz Gale’s older brother Philip committed suicide at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on March 13, 1998 at the age of 18. Their father died in 1995 from a heart attack, and their mother Marie was a leading figure in the Church ranking “OT [Operating Thetan] VIII, which supposedly gives her not only complete psychic control over matter, energy, space, and time, but also makes her privy to all the Scientology trade secrets,” according to a 1999 Rolling Stone article by journalist Mark Ebner. The Church apparently tried to suppress the report, but it was eventually re-published in original form on Gawker because it heavily criticized the Church’s anti-psychiatry views. A computer whiz, Philip Gale broke a window on a 15^th floor of a building at the Cambridge, MA campus after writing “Phil was here” and Newton’s equation for gravity before jumping to his death.

Thankfully no one has died in the ongoing “war” for Hollywood as the Times headlined it. As yet another cigarette flicking incident occurred, and LAPD failed to arrest the assailant against William Gude the responding officers eventually left as the culprits sat inside. As they left, Gude confronted them alongside his “gaggle” and the men eventually left after a brief non-violent showdown. Earlier before LAPD left, I had stood aside with two officers and tried to explain to them why condoning any type of violence from one-side and then arresting members of the other was a surefire way to lead to someone getting seriously hurt. They smiled at me, thanked me for speaking with them and smiled as I pointed out that 1,700 people were watching them on my TikTok account. If LAPD had tried to arrest their way out of a Squirrel problem to appease the Church of Scientology it clearly hadn’t worked. I’m sure they’ll be back next week.

Link: Three Arrested at Scene of Protest NR24067ti

Link: ‘There’s a war going on’: L.A. anti-Scientology protests bring arrests, attack allegations

Link: Clearwater council candidate caused bar altercations, reports say

Link: Statement From The LAPD Regarding An Arrest In The Hollywood Area NR24025jc/hg

Link: LAPD Investigating Controversial Arrest of Scientology Protestor

Lin:  Death of a Nethead

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Zachary Ellison is an Independent Journalist and Whistleblower in the Los Angeles area. Zach was most recently employed by the University of Southern California, Office of the Provost from October 2015 to August 2022 as an Executive Secretary and Administrative Assistant supporting the Vice Provost for Academic Operations and the Vice Provost and Senior Advisor to the Provost among others. Zach holds a Master’s in Public Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Policy and Planning from the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. While a student at USC, he worked for the USC Good Neighbors Campaign including on their newsletter distributed university-wide. Zach completed his B.A. in History at Reed College, in Portland, Oregon and was a writer, editor, and photographer for the Pasadena High School Chronicle. He was Barack Obama’s one-millionth online campaign contributor in 2008. Zach is a former AmeriCorps intern for Hawaii State Parks and worked for the City of Manhattan Beach Parks and Recreation. He is a trained civil process server, and enjoys weekends in the great outdoors.