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Earlier this year we were forced to have our evening meetings in a local hotel due to the amount of antisocial behaviour at our hall caused by the people in the area. As the evenings got longer it was decided that we could once again hold the meetings at the hall. It was necessary though for two brothers to stand outside in the yard to keep an eye on things throughout the meeting and different brothers would take half hour shifts at this. We also had to have CCTV installed. Anyway last Sunday week there was a meeting at the hall where elders from all around the country, the district overseer and members of the RBC were present. The meeting was held in response to the antisocial behaviour at the hall. The decission was made to close the hall permanently with immediate effect as it was considered too dangerous to hold the meetings there any more as it would only be a matter of time before there would be a very serious incident. The plans now are to build a new hall in time. We will have to try and sell our old one first though and find a site for a new one. The fears now are that the neighbours could burn down the old hall but I think it's insured in case that happens. At the moment we are having our meetings in a local hotel but the rent is fairly expensive so hopefully we might be able to find somewhere cheaper. We can't really go near the old hall anymore even just to maintain it as it is too dangerous. Maybe you could keep our congregation in your prayers so that everything works out ... Here's an article from a local newspaper from a few months ago just to give an idea of the kind of behaviour was happening at the hall......... Church Under Attack PEOPLE gathering to pray at the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall in Portlaoise have urgently appealed for help following ongoing attacks, assaults and abuse against them. The elders of the church have taken the unprecedented move of appealing to town councillors for help following a deliberate fire attempt on their hall two weeks ago. In a detailed 14-page report to councillors, seen by the ***Laois Nationalist,*** church elders say that “the attacks on us and our property are dramatically increasing in frequency and severity.” Because of the ongoing deliberate targeting of the congregation, the 50 or so active members have been forced to hire a room in a local hotel to carry out their prayer services. Also included in the report are testimonies from church members who have come under assault and abuse when attending the hall, just off the Ballyfin Road, which was built over 25 years ago. One said: “A large fire is ignited against a boundary wall. As cars are being moved away from the blaze, the youths who ignited the fire begin throwing stones at those moving the cars.” Another member wrote that while another member was removing debris from the roof of the hall “people from Hepburn Court come out, hurling abuse and missiles of various sizes. A man from a house gets a sledgehammer from his jeep, climbs onto the adjoining wall, kicks the victim’s ladder away and threatens him with the sledgehammer.” Details from more members included in the report also tell of windows being smashed in the meeting hall; bottles smashed across cars with children in them; cars broken into and damaged while parked in the car park of the hall; and roof tiles ripped off and drainpipes broken. One member said that while at a pioneer meeting “a bike ended up on the gate. Last week, glass was shattered all over the parking area.” When a number of members tried to videotape those causing the trouble, they were threatened with assault by youths swinging lengths of skirting board at them. In another serous situation, a member wrote: “While cleaning the interior and exterior of the Kingdom Hall, youths and adults violently attacked a member of the congregation with stones and iron bars.” Another church member wrote: “In the past months, more and more incidents have occurred that frighten us and make us wonder if these incidents are taking a more serious turn and could lead to the injury of someone or even the Kingdom Hall being burnt down.” The most recent serious incident occurred last Monday. Two members who were attending the centre found an unignited homemade petrol bomb on the roof of the hall. “The latest incident leaves us in no doubt that it is only a matter of time before something very serious occurs,” the elder said. Town councillor Caroline Dwane said that she raised the issue of ant-social activity in the area along Ballyfin Road at the December Joint Policing Committee in Portlaoise. She called on the gardaí, Laois Co Council, the HSE and other relevant bodies to intervene to ensure the safety of the people attending the hall and also the local community. Chief Supt John Scanlan said that gardaí have received reports about anti-social activities in the area and are at present carrying out an investigation into a recent serious occurrence at the hall. He said that the gardaí “would be concerned if a religious group or any other group” is being targeted in such a way. He said that gardaí will meet with church elders to see what assistance they can provide them. He also called on the parents of those involved in the anti-social activities to “take their children in hand.” A spokesperson for the Jehovah Witness congregation told the ***Laois Nationalist*** yesterday afternoon: “As Jehovah Witnesses we want to promote neighbourly love in the community. If there are issues and concerns we would like to resolve them through dialogue.” “If there are criminal actions taken against ourselves or our property we will have to seek assistance from the gardaí.” Source: www.laois-nationalist.ie