1,500 march against "church"

The Examiner
30.6.1997

By Grainne Cunningham

(not full article)

An international day of protest against the Church of Scientology provoked
a march in Gorey which brought the Co. Wexford town to a standstill at the
weekend. Up to 1,500 marchers paraded through Gorey in a massive display
of community solidarity with the Wexford family, the Fortunes, who believe
their son, Odhran, has been brainwashed by the Scientologists.

A delegation from the town marched through Dublin city centre on Saturday
morning but could not protest outside the organisation's offices in Abbey
Street because of a court injunction. Anti-Church of Scientology
supporters joined in similar marches in England, Australia,
Switzerland, and various cities in the United States.

The Fortune's are facing significant legal costs in their on-going effort
to gain access to their son.
The Church of Scientology has already won a court injunction preventing
them from coming within 30 yards of their premises. Mr. Webb is convinced
that Odhran has been brainwashed and that being with the Church of
Scientology is extremely bad for his health. "Christmas 1996
was the turning point, Odhran is 6ft 2ins but when he came home he only
weighed about 7 stone. His brother walked past him in the airport," he
said. Mr. Webb also described how Odhran could hardly speak and was
following a list of instructions in somebody else's handwriting - "go to
airport, buy presents for family," and so on. Mr. Webb claims that
Odhran recovered slowly in the following months, up to the time of he
disappeared suddenly in June 

An investigation into the Church of Scientology is due to get underway
once the new Dail is up and running.