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By Billie Schwab Dunn
Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter
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Opponents of Scientology are planning a large protest in the U.K. next month, when its leader David Miscavige visits for the organization's "greatest gathering."
Miscavige is expected to attend the event hosted by the International Association of Scientologists on November 3 to 5. It is being held at a West Sussex manor house once owned by Scientology's founder, L. Ron Hubbard.
The association's website states that attendees will "hear about our recent victories, pivotal milestones and upcoming expansion plans" as well as the "heroic things we do for humanity every day."
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But critics of Scientology, who accuse it of separating members from their families and intimidating those who seek to leave, say they are planning the largest U.K. demonstration against the organization for 15 years.
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Organizers predict the protest will be the biggest in the U.K. since more than 300 people demonstrated outside the church's London headquarters in 2008.
It is being organized by Alexander Barnes-Ross, who says he joined Scientology at 15 and rose to the position of director of public book sales in London before being expelled.
A Guardian report quoted Barnes-Ross as saying the demonstration was aimed at "sending Scientology a clear message: the abuse must stop."
He told Newsweek in a statement over email: "The protest will be a peaceful demonstration carrying a message of compassion—we want to let Scientologists know there is a community of people here to support them if they choose to leave."
A Scientology spokesperson responded in a statement to Newsweek: "A small handful of bigots are publicizing their intent to harass a religious convocation and in the process trying to attract the attention of tabloid media. Their claims are untrue and utterly ludicrous.
"Alexander Barnes-Ross was kicked out of the Church over a decade ago. No one heard from him until he joined and promoted a hate group online."
Miscavige is expected to arrive in the UK imminently and usually travels in Tom Cruise's private jet. He is currently evading process servers in five lawsuits, and was accused of human trafficking and other abuses by former Scientology workers in the U.S.
He has denied all allegations against him.
Three former workers—Valeska Paris, and husband and wife Gawain and Laura Baxter—filed lawsuits against five church entities and Miscavige in Florida last year.
They allege they were trafficked into Scientology as children, forced to work through adulthood for little or no pay, and endured "a world filled with abuse, violence, intimidation and fear."
The church entities have also denied wrongdoing.
Earlier this year, a Florida judge ruled that the trafficking allegation against Miscavige should be determined by an arbitration panel of church members, because the three had previously agreed to have any disputes resolved through this method.
Actress Leah Remini, a former Scientologist who has become a vocal critic, filed a lawsuit against the organization and its leader in August this year.
Her civil suit alleges "psychological torture, defamation, surveillance, harassment and intimidation."
In a statement, the Church of Scientology said Remini was "spreading falsehoods and hate speech" while having "profited handsomely from her fabrications, through the sale of hate books, hate podcasts and paid-for tabloid hate television."
The Daily Mail reported this week that Danny Masterson, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison in September after being convicted of rape, has been expelled from the organization.
Update 10/27/23, 10:29 a.m. ET: This article was updated with a statement from the Church of Scientology and Barnes-Ross.
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