Councilman on Katie Holmes 'thugs': 'We don't allow people to be harassed in New York City'
Holmes at National Memorial Day, 2009. Chad J. McNeeley, via Wikipedia
1:44 pm Jul. 2, 20124
The people following actress Katie Holmes could be arrested for harassment, according to Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., chairman of the City Council's public safety committee.
"We don't allow people to be harassed in New York City and the NYPD should give serious consideration to the arresting and disarming of these thugs," Vallone said in a brief interview.
Vallone, a former prosecutor, said that the people who are reportedly monitoring the actress' movements in Manhattan while she's dealing with a divorce from actor Tom Cruise could be charged with harassment in the first and second degree, violating penal law 240.25 and 240.26.
(240.25 deals with someone who "intentionally and repeatedly harasses another person by following such person in or about a public place"; 240.26 deals with someone who commits acts "which alarm or seriously annoy such other person and which serve no legitimate purpose.")
The NYPD reportedly sent a squad car to Holmes' building in Chelsea yesterday in response to a neighbor's call, and took information on a white Cadillac filled with "beefy armed men" who were, according to the Post, "snapping pictures of people outside the building and demanding to know who they were."
A spokesperson for the department did not respond to a comment about whether the police have been contacted by Holmes herself, or whether there is anything else they can do about the reported harassment, which was reported by TMZ and then by the Daily News, the New York Post and many other outlets.
The Post cited multiple sources close to Holmes saying the actress fears she's being tailed by "goons" sent by the Church of Scientology.
A lawyer for the church has denied the organization's involvement.
Scientology is so lame to follow a mother & her child around Manhattan trying to intimidate everybody in their path, neighbors and legitimate business owners with
bonafide reasons to wonder who is lurking outside their doors. Souentology flavoredo me. Does anybody reading here remember "Reverend" Jim Jones? I would avoid the KoolAid...especially this blend!
These cultists have been allowed for years to hire thugs like this to stalk their critics. If you Google Scientology private investigators, there's a rogues gallery of these goons.
I hope NYPD puts a stop to the thuggery of these cultists, whether it is the cult itself that hired these thugs, or whether the cultist Cruise hired them to stalk and harass his wife and daughter.
The cult has perpetrated this kind of thuggery against its critics with absolute impunity for decades. Apparently, stalking Katie Holmes is one step too far. It would be nice if the police would protect the rest of us, too.
i am harassed every single day working as a Horse carraige driver by people who don't know a thing about our business and PETER VALLONE JN is one of them
If you read about the church of Scientology and reports from past members that have defected you will believe that they are stalking Katie for sure. There is no doubt from what I have learned reading about this cult recently. Good for her for standing up to them and NYC for taking it seriously. They should be worried, this divorce and how Cruise reacts could be the nail in the coffin for them. Katie is more empowered than you think right now.