Satanic leader arrested after Black Mass, scuffle at Kansas Statehouse: 'A despicable act'
Share and Follow

A leader of a Satanist group and three others were arrested Friday after a fight broke out inside the Kansas Statehouse after the leader allegedly tried to hold a Black Mass in the rotunda.

Michael Stewart, head of the Kansas City-area Satanic Grotto, was arrested after video showed him punching a counter-protester who tried to take his script.

Kansas Highway Patrol officers tackled and handcuffed him as he yelled, “Hail, Satan!” He was later released on $1,000 bond for disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly.

“There are more constructive ways to protest and express disagreements without insulting or denigrating sacred religious symbols,” Kelly said in an announcement about the event.

Pastor Jeremiah Hicks of The Cure Church in Kansas City, Kansas, warned against allowing the event. 

“The Bible says Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, so when we dedicate a state to Satan, we’re dedicating it to death,” he declared.

Roman Catholic counter-protesters

Catholics were among the Christians counter-protesting at a rally by the Satanic Grotto outside the Kansas Statehouse, Friday, in Topeka. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Satanic Grotto followers argued the event was about free speech. Stewart’s wife, Maenad Bee, told reporters, “He’s only exercising his First Amendment rights.”

Two other followers of Stewart, Jocelyn Frazee, 32, and Sean Anderson, 50, were also arrested for unlawful assembly. Frazee had no bond set, and Anderson’s bond information was unavailable at the time of publication.

Marcus Schroeder, 21, a Christian counter-protester who tried to take Stewart’s script, was also arrested for disorderly conduct. His bond was set at $1,000.

Christian counter-protesters

Christians counter-protest at a rally outside the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Karla Delgado, who attended with her three young children, admitted she tried to stop Stewart’s Satanic ceremony.

“When we saw nobody stopping him, we tried to do it,” she said. In the chaos, her 4-year-old daughter was knocked down.

Stewart said his group scheduled the event thinking lawmakers would be in session. He hinted they may return.

“Maybe ‘un-baptisms,’ right here in the Capitol,” he said.

The Satanic Grotto did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
State Department issues a travel advisory for Caribbean destination due to 'risk of crime'

Urgent Travel Alert: State Department Warns of Increased Crime Risk in Popular Caribbean Paradise

The U.S. State Department has recently elevated its travel advisory for Grenada,…
Reese Witherspoon warns followers about online impersonators asking for personal information

Reese Witherspoon Alerts Fans: Beware of Online Scammers Posing as Celebrities

Witherspoon’s cautionary note coincides with an increase in Instagram users receiving unexpected…
UK targets Elon Musk’s X with fines and possible ban over Grok deepfake abuse

UK Considers Fines and Ban for Elon Musk’s X Over Grok Deepfake Controversy

The British government has stepped up its efforts against AI-generated sexual abuse,…
LA protesters swarm U-Haul truck that drove through anti-Iranian regime gathering

Chaotic Scene in LA: U-Haul Truck Plows Through Protesters at Anti-Iranian Regime Rally, Driver Detained

The driver of a U-Haul truck that plowed through a crowd of…
Palmdale Street shooting on Jacksonville's Northwest side leaves man dead

Tragic Accident in Fernandina Beach: Local Man Charged After Fatal Shooting of Friend

A tragic incident unfolded in Fernandina Beach, Florida, where a man stands…
Philadelphia shooting: Khyon Smith-Tate, 16, found shot to death in Chipotle bathroom near Temple University

Philadelphia Incident: 16-Year-Old Khyon Smith-Tate Discovered Fatally Shot in Chipotle Restroom Near Temple University

In a tragic incident near Temple University, Philadelphia, a teenager was found…
Airplane starts taxiing towards runway with baggage handler trapped

Airport Drama: Baggage Handler Stuck as Plane Begins Taxiing

An unusual incident unfolded recently at Toronto’s Pearson Airport involving an Air…
Village of La Grange, Illinois board approves developer's controversial plan to convert Jackson Square Mall into condos

La Grange Village Board Greenlights Controversial Condo Project at Jackson Square Mall Site

The La Grange Village Board has given the green light to a…