Scientology managed to bully the billboard company into removing the Aftermath Foundation billboard. They folded like a cheap tent in 72 hours. Pathetic.
But, rest assured, knowing what a huge button this is for scientology, the Foundation is already working on alternate plans that are going to not only reach our target audience, but piss them off even more.
This is the statement on the Aftermath Foundation website reprinted in full as it gives all the details. I encourage you to support this effort by donating what you can to th
In November 2023, The Aftermath Foundation devised a new strategy to reach the estimated 4,000 Scientologists who suffer indentured servitude by virtue of their service in Scientology’s Sea Organization. These members work 16 (or more) hours daily, seven days a week. They have no guarantee of either medical or dental care. They are isolated from the outside world and cut off from their family members and former friends. Scientology controls what they see and hear. They have no access to information readily available to others on the internet or TV. They are denied basic resources and freedoms that most Americans take for granted.
As a result of extreme isolation and control, these people are trapped in a slave-like existence. The Aftermath Foundation exists to help them escape and start new lives.
In December 2023, we approached former Scientologist Phil Jones because of his successful 2016 Call Me billboard campaign that exposed Scientology’s destructive practice of “disconnection”, which tears families apart. Disconnection is the forced separation of a current Scientologist from anyone (including immediate family) who has been declared an enemy of Scientology.
Phil and his wife, Willie, suffered through disconnection when their adult children, Mike and Emily Jones, refused to communicate with them in any way after being ordered to cut off all contact by Scientology. Phil Jones joined the board of The Aftermath Foundation in March 2024.
We located the perfect billboard site close to and visible from Scientology’s buildings in Los Angeles and signed a one-year contract with Clear Channel Outdoor, including the First Right of Refusal at the end of the contract term. We developed a simple billboard design with our message and established a toll-free 24/7 helpline: 888-FREE-002.
The billboard was installed on March 11, 2024 at 9:00 AM.
Initially, Clear Channel Outdoor were incredibly supportive of our campaign. The manager told us that their office staff thought we were doing a great thing.
By 10:00 AM, Scientology had already erected a cherry picker in front of the billboard, intending to block our toll-free helpline from the view of their members. By that afternoon, they had also erected a scissor lift.
The next day, March 12, we were contacted by our Clear Channel Outdoor account representative, who told us they were under extreme pressure to remove the billboard and relocate it because Scientology claimed the message was “controversial”.
Today, Clear Channel Outdoor removed the billboard. We learned of this news when a supporter sent us a photo; we did not receive a notification from Clear Channel Outdoor in advance.
Scientology claims on its website that members are “free to leave” if they choose. Their extreme reaction to this simple billboard tells a different story.
If people are free to leave, why are they worried about a phone number that gives those wanting to leave a place to reach out to? Scientology has proven once again that they’re not the freedom of speech-loving humanitarians that they claim to be, but are instead a high-control organization that seeks to bully anyone it fears will expose its abuses. Scientology has proven that they are scared this message will be seen — because they know, just as we do, that it will be effective in helping the indentured servants escape its draconian control.
There is no better measure of the vital importance of this campaign than the drastic, over-the-top, and frantic efforts by Scientology to try to stop it.
While Clear Channel Outdoor may have folded in the face of Scientology’s bullying, we certainly will not.
We will redouble our efforts to release the four thousand slaves of Scientology’s mind control and already have alternate plans in the works to get our message heard by them.
We deeply appreciate the many people who have supported this effort.
Our phone contacts have tripled in the last three days. If you want to see more actions taken along this line, you can support our efforts by making a tax-deductible donation here.
Those LA politicians that were running on a campaign of criticising Scn. What happened to them? Here is a golden opportunity to trumpet free speech and make this a media issue. Interview standing infront of the billboard with the original sign and what Scn has done to pressure the company into taking it down. That would drive Scn nuts and get the Aftermath Foundation free publicity. Might not reach out to SO members as Scn would shut the place down tighter than a drum but every bit helps.
Give away T-shirts
Gosh. When am I going to learn to not be surprised by what the Church of Scientology(David Miscavige does.
So happy to hear that Phil is on the board of the Aftermath Foundation. Thank you all for what you do to help others get out and get on their feet. It’s a GREAT service. I will be donating to this cause.
My best to all of you who continue to expose this vile “church” for what and who it really is.
want to avoid billboard coverups? use a plane, witheither a banner, or smoke message, or a blimp…
I see that Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. was once a subsidiary of iHeartMedia! That makes this the second time this same company (technically) has folded up, laid down, rolled over, and died in its dealings with you in regard to Scientology.
Seems to me they’re going to owe you one big time, if they ever develop any guts.
Phil, did you at least get your pro rated money back?
I have to say Shame.
Shame on Clear Channel
It’s insane how quickly this happened although it’s not surprising. You succeeded in scaring Scientology pretty quickly.I hope whatever the foundation does next is just as powerful as all the past projects.
– Suzie
Lol!
When the “Squirrels” are winning scn goes nuts.
This is so infuriating that this happened. I can’t say I’m not surprised though. I just hope this will show more evidence that there is something going on in Scientology.
Wow, I hope the media covers this story. Scientology is despicable.
Their cowardly and craven reaction speaks volumes.
Mike, when you say that phone calls in to the Aftermath Foundation have gone way up in the last few days, are they SO members calling for help to get out? Or some other calls?
Also if Phil had a one year contract with the company, they broke that contract by tearing down the billboard after only 3 days. Can Phil sue them for that? I assume the C of S threatened to sue them if they kept it up. So now Phil can threaten to sue them if they take it down. Use the same tactics that got the church their win on this thing is what I recommend.
Cindy,
You are correct on all your points, theoretically, Phil could sue Clear Channel for breach of contract, if he had the money to hire an attorney to do it. His case has merit. He would win. All he needs is the money for good legal help.
But Clear Channel is not going to be shaking in their boots facing him. With competent legal help they would probably just settle with him.
But being sued by Co$ is a different ball of wax.
The cult’s case would not have merit but they don’t need merit. They have money.
The cult would trump up some bogus charges, drag Clear Channel to court, force the company to defend itself as expensivel as possible. Delay, delay delay, keep filing motions (all lega) which must be addressed, delay some more, lose the case, appeal the case, lose that one, appeal again, etc. etc. etc and it could go on for years. Its what the Cult of Scientology does best with its endless funds.
It is that financial ability and power to rule the American justice system that our donations bought, back in the day.
Makes you sick, right? Yeah, me too.
Actually, the billboard contracts contain a clause that says they can remove any billboard for no reason. There is no viable lawsuit (AF would be plaintiff, not Phil)
@Mike,
I see. Understood, Mike. Thanks for these key corrections. Time to brush up on my billboard contract law 🙂 Never mind, I’d rather donate to AF. Intrigued and curious about the new plans. Go AF!!!
Sorry to hear that. There actually was a reference called “This Is What Your Donations Buy.” How sickening that what our donations actually bought was high priced lawyers and PI”s doing all sorts of dirty work for a thug that calls itself a church.
Tanks for this clarification – much appreciated.
The consequence governmental malfunction is always Revolution.
Just a suggestion…
Can you tone this statement down a few notches so the general public can understand stand the simple issue at hand without all the hype and send out press releases to the LA Times, TMZ and other outlets?
I appreciate the update as a former ex-member but I think simply put that an alleged cult has pressured a company to remove an advertisement to help survivors of that cult is outrageous enough to take note! Oh and their cherry picker prank too! TMZ has already been out talking to people auditing in the area. The host of TMZ, Harvey Levine is an attorney at law and does support civil rights issues
Contact the ACLU.
Great Idea!
contact the ACLU too
Well, this Sac Org report might bring a smile to all of your faces: On Wednesday I went to the Sacramento Kings basketball game. We had to park 10 blocks away to find parking. As we came to the stadium i was surprised to see the Sac Org right there next to the stadium.
The org is a huge building with almost 2 blocks of windows, and they were not covered, which was a surprise. We walked along the whole length of the building and saw no public inside at all. This was at 7:30 and 9:30 pm, when the org should be filled with public. Nope, nada, nothing. In the middle of this huge structure were two old staff members, partially hunched over doing nothing. There wasn’t even anyone at reception. Stark, dreary, nothing.
I could not help but wonder how anyone would ever be on course there considering the terrible parking problem. But there it was, in all its glory, as thousands of basketball fans walked by, looking in and seeing emptiness. At least for me it seemed like a grave yard. The once might Sac Org was nothing.
Great news Jimbo!
Nice observation. I would have loved to see some photos of this.