Satanic Showdown: Protests and Arrests at Kansas Statehouse

A tense scene unfolded at the Kansas Statehouse. Four individuals were taken into custody after a heated confrontation. The spark? A planned Black Mass by a small group of self-described Satanists. The group, known as the Kansas City-area Satanic Grotto, had gathered to advocate for the separation of church and state. They also aimed to challenge what they saw as the state's bias towards Christian events held inside the Statehouse. Their leader, Michael Stewart, had planned to conduct a Black Mass in the rotunda. However, Governor Laura Kelly had temporarily banned indoor protests for that day. Outside the Statehouse, the Satanic Grotto's rally attracted hundreds of Christian counterprotesters. The Satanists' use of satanic symbols and their plan to denounce Jesus Christ fueled the tension. About 100 Christians stood near the Satanic Grotto's designated area, singing hymns and calling for the Satanists to accept Jesus. More Christians gathered further away, adding to the charged atmosphere. The Satanic Grotto's planned event had stirred controversy weeks earlier. Roman Catholic groups had pushed for a ban, labeling the planned Black Mass as anti-Catholic bigotry. Both chambers of the Legislature had also condemned the event. Pastor Jeremiah Hicks of the Cure Church in Kansas City summed up the Christian perspective, stating that dedicating a state to Satan is akin to dedicating it to death. The Satanic Grotto members hold diverse beliefs. Some are atheists, others use the group to protest past harms experienced in church, and some view Satan as a symbol of independence. Amy Dorsey, a friend of Stewart's, participated in the rally to support free speech and religious freedoms guaranteed by the U. S. Constitution. She pointed out that Christian groups regularly meet inside the Statehouse for prayer or worship. Tensions escalated when Stewart attempted to start the Black Mass inside the rotunda. A young man, later identified as Marcus Schroeder, tried to grab Stewart's script. Stewart responded by punching Schroeder. Kansas Highway Patrol troopers intervened, wrestling Stewart to the ground and handcuffing him. Stewart was later released on bond after a brief jail stay. Three others were also arrested for unlawful assembly. Jocelyn Frazee and Sean Anderson, who had entered the building with Stewart, were taken into custody. Schroeder was arrested for disorderly conduct. A friend of Schroeder's claimed he was only trying to assist a woman who also attempted to stop Stewart. The woman, Karla Delgado, had brought her children to deliver a petition protesting the Black Mass. In the chaos, her 4-year-old daughter was knocked to the ground. The incident raises questions about free speech, religious freedoms, and the role of symbols in public discourse. It also highlights the deep divisions that can arise when different belief systems clash in public spaces.