Katie Holmes' Broadway Debut Attracts Anti-Scientology Protests 10/17/08

Katie Holmes made her official Broadway debut on Thursday (17Oct08) - but the actress and her husband Tom Cruise had to be ushered into the theatre's back entrance to avoid anti-Scientology activists protesting outside.

Approximately 30 police officers were recruited to patrol the opening night of Arthur Miller's classic World War II drama All My Sons as the group, which calls itself Anonymous, rallied against the controversial religion.

The angry mob welcomed celebrities including Blythe Danner, Barbara Walters and Isabella Rossellini to the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater by chanting "Scientology kills" and "Save Katie, Keep Tom" - in reference to the Top Gun star, the faith's most recognized follower.

Holmes and Cruise, who called the play "extraordinary" after attending the first preview last month (Sep08), snuck through the stage door hours before the protest began.

Anonymous spokesman Matthew Danziger told the New York Daily News: "We're not protesting Katie or the play. Our aim is to shed some light on the human rights abuses of Scientology. We hope Katie Holmes sees this and takes note."