Editing Scientology (section)

=== Organized harassment ===
{{main|Fair game (Scientology)}}

Scientology has historically engaged in hostile action toward its critics; executives within the organization have proclaimed that Scientology is "not a [[Turn the other cheek|turn-the-other-cheek]] religion".<ref>
{{Cite magazine | url= http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,913995,00.html | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071014114926/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,913995,00.html | url-status= dead | archive-date= October 14, 2007 | title = A Sci-Fi Faith | magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=July 24, 2009 | date=April 5, 1976}}</ref> Since the 1960s, Journalists, politicians, former Scientologists and various [[Anti-cult movement|anti-cult groups]] have said that Scientology followers have engaged in organized hostility, harassment and threats, and Scientology has targeted these critics–almost without exception–for retaliation, in the form of lawsuits and public counter-accusations of personal wrongdoing. Many of Scientology's critics have also reported they were subject to threats and harassment in their private lives.<ref name="Behar2">{{Cite magazine | first = Richard | last = Behar | author-link = Richard Behar | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972886,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071110005526/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972886,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = November 10, 2007 | title = The Scientologists and Me |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date = May 6, 1991a}}
</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Joe |last=Strupp |title=The press vs. Scientology |url=http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/06/30/scientology/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070107223456/http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/06/30/scientology/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 7, 2007 |work=[[Salon.com|Salon]] |date=June 30, 2005 |access-date=September 19, 2007 }}</ref>

According to a 1990 ''Los Angeles Times'' article, the Scientology organization had largely switched from using members to using private investigators, including former and current Los Angeles police officers, as this gives the organization a layer of protection in case investigators use tactics which might cause the organization embarrassment. In one case, the organization described their tactics as "LAPD sanctioned", which was energetically disputed by Police Chief Daryl Gates. The officer involved in this particular case of surveillance and harassment was suspended for six months.<ref name="On the Offensive Against an Array of Suspected Foes, Los Angeles Times, June 29, 1990">{{Cite web|last1=Sappell|first1=Joel|last2=Welkos|first2=Robert W.|date=1990-06-29|title=On the Offensive Against an Array of Suspected Foes|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/la-scientology062990x-story.html|access-date=2023-01-28|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230128042923/https://www.latimes.com/local/la-scientology062990x-story.html|url-status=live |archive-date=January 28, 2023}}</ref>

Journalist [[John Sweeney (journalist)|John Sweeney]] reported that "While making our BBC [[Panorama (British TV programme)|Panorama]] film ''[[Scientology and Me]]'' I have been shouted at, spied on, had my hotel invaded at midnight, denounced as a 'bigot' by star Scientologists, brain-washed&nbsp;– that is how it felt to me&nbsp;– in a mock up of a [[Nazi|Nazi-style]] torture chamber and chased round the streets of Los Angeles by sinister strangers".<ref>{{Cite news | last = Sweeney | first = John| title = Row over Scientology video| work = BBC News| date = May 14, 2007| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6650545.stm| access-date = November 3, 2008}}</ref>

==== Mistreatment of members ====

A prominent ex-member who has spoken out about the Scientology organization's mistreatment of members and ex-members is [[Leah Remini]]. Remini is an American actress that has been involved with the Church of Scientology since childhood. She left in 2013. In 2015 she published a book entitled ''[[Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology]]'' where she recounts her experiences and events leading up to her leaving the organization.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Remini |first=Leah |title=Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology |title-link=Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology |publisher=Ballantine Books |year=2015}}</ref>

She also has produced a documentary television series on [[A&E (TV network)|A&E]] entitled ''[[Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath]]'' released in 2017 which aired for three seasons. In this series, she and her co-host [[Mike Rinder]], who is also an ex-member, tell their experiences and interview numerous ex-members with similar. Leah Remini has been outspoken about her views on the Church of Scientology and has raised much awareness about some of the major issues within the organization regarding treatment of children, exploitive money practices and mistreatments she has experienced.

As of August 2023, Remini has filed a lawsuit against the Church of Scientology. She alleges verbal, physical and sexual abuse was known and tolerated by the organization, and exploitive practices such as signing billion-year contracts with the organization. The main claims of the lawsuit are for psychological torture, defamation, surveillance, harassment, and intimidation experienced by her for years while a member, and as tactics used after she publicly left.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Hauser |first1=Christine |last2=Tumin |first2=Remy |date=2023-08-04 |title=Leah Remini, Vocal Scientology Critic, Files Suit Against Church |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/04/us/leah-remini-scientology-lawsuit.html |access-date=2023-10-22 |issn=0362-4331 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230808140458/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/04/us/leah-remini-scientology-lawsuit.html |archive-date=August 8, 2023}}</ref>