Gold Base
From End The Cult
Gold Base (or Int Base) Scientology's compound outside of Hemet, California, in Riverside county. Its address is 19625 Gilman Springs Road, Gilman Hot Springs, CA 92583. Home of David Miscavige, SP Hall, an RPF and Golden Era Productions. It is split in two by a public highway that is the site of protests.
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History
Gilman Hot Springs was named after landowners William E. and Josephine Gilman. In 1979, the location was a 550 acre drying golf course with a collection of disintegrating desert resort buildings. That year, the owner sold the property to Scientology front groups in a $2.7 million cash deal.[1][2] After its acquisition, it became the international headquarters of the corporations of Scientology. Its location is still a secret to most Scientologists.
Usage
Gold Base is staffed by trusted senior members of Scientology’s elite para-military group called the Sea Organization (or "Sea Org"), including Sea Org Captain and head of the Scientology organization David Miscavige.
According to Wikipedia, Gold Base "...is home to all the highest level management units of the Church of Scientology ... Among the organizations there are the Religious Technology Center, The Commodore’s Messenger Organization International and Golden Era Productions. Golden Era Productions manufactures the E-Meter and produces and distributes all church audio-visual materials, both internal and promotional."[3]
Gold Base is a very high security facility with the objective of keeping outsiders out and Scientologists in. There is razor wire facing out as well as in. There are all manner of hidden electronic devices and security teams whose armaments have hair triggers just as their touchy as their temperaments. They even have an armed sniper above the property looking out over the Scientology and adjacent properties. [4]
Incidents
Stacy Moxon Meyer
- On June 25 2000,Stacy Moxon Meyer, daughter of Kendrick Moxon, died in an electrical vault at Gold Base. The church was fined by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health for safety violations uncovered during an investigation after the death.
AnonOrange
- During a protest on Sunday October 26th 2008, anti-Scientology protester AnonOrange was seized by private security on Gold Base property. AnonOrange wound up on an unfenced and unmarked area of church property while investigating a lit roadflare by the rear of his parked vehicle. He was jumped and held down to the ground by the security guards before having his hands bound behind his back. Scientology alleges AnonOrange bit a guard in the scuffle. This one incident is the basis for the Riverside Ordinance.
Mark Bunker and Doug Owens
- After passage of the Riverside Ordinance on February 24 2009, a group of protesters drove up to Gold Base to test it out. Catherine Fraser and Tommy Davis complained that two protesters were protesting in front of the guard gate, blocking access. Both Mark Bunker and fellow protester Doug Owens were arrested in citizen’s arrests for trespassing on what is understood to be public property – a location that Scientology’s own attorney stated was public property available for picketing. Mark Bunker’s citizens arrest came as as he was photographing the arrest of Doug Owens. The two were charged with “602.1(a) PC Tresspassing” (a misdemeanor), released, and a court appearance set for April 28.[5]
Documents
- Scientology's Inland Empire (LA Times) - A labelled map of Gold Base, published 2005-12-17
Footnotes
- ^ Atak, A Piece of Blue Sky, page 256
- ^ Miller, Bare Faced Messiah, page 359
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Base
- ^ Affidavit of Andre Tabayoyon, March 5, 1994
- ^ Chanology Portal, Summary of Mark Bunker’s Gold Base arrest. February 27, 2009.
