More than 2,000 Scientologists converged on Berlin from all across Europe yesterday to protest at alleged persecution and lack of religious freedoms in Germany.
The demonstration, buoyed by broadcast messages of support from prominent Hollywood Scien tologists such as John Travolta, was denounced by the German government, which views the activists as belonging to a dangerous and anti-democratic sect.
Germany and Scientology have long been engaged in courtroom battles and a war of words over the organisation's status as a religion and a charity.
The Labour Minister, Mr Norbert Bluem, yesterday said Scientology was to blame for the "mental destruction" of its followers.
Yesterday's protest came ahead of a crucial appeal court ruling, expected today, on whether Scien tology should enjoy charity and therefore tax-exempt status in one of Germany's 16 states.
Germany's internal security service has Scientology on its blacklist of constitutional threats and Scientologists complain they are hounded because of their beliefs.
Reuter adds: A Hollywood star, Ann Archer, and soul singer, Isaac Hayes, also Scientologists, came from the US to take part in the protest, which ended at the Brandenburg Gate with speeches and a concert.
A dozen members of a German lobby group that campaigns against sects and offers advice to parents who say their children have been "taken over by extremist religious groups and sects" staged a counter-demonstration nearby.
A Scientology spokesman, Mr Georg Stoffel, accused the German authorities of trying to clamp down on his group because they were close to the established churches.