State denies permit for 2nd Satanic Statehouse protest

TOPEKA (KSNT) - The state has denied the Satanic Grotto's request for a permit to have another protest at the Kansas Statehouse.

Back in March, the group held a Black Mass protest outside on the Capitol grounds. It quickly took a turn after police tackled and arrested the group's founder, Michael Stewart, after he took the protest inside and it turned violent. Now, months later, the group attempted to gain a permit for a "Witching Hour Protest." If the state had granted permission, the event would have taken place in the nighttime hours outside the Statehouse on Saturday, Aug. 2.

"We were hoping to gather all minority religions, and cultures and ideas in the state of Kansas together under one umbrella for the night to network, to grow connections with each other and most importantly, really make a connection with this building [Kansas Statehouse]," Stewart said.

According to a press release from the Kansas Secretary of Administration, the state denied the group access due to safety concerns about having a protest at night. The release states a concern that not enough Kansas Highway Patrol resources would be available, and that the group violated their previous permit when they created a safety risk. Despite being turned down, Stewart says they won't give up.

"We're going to continue to pursue after this, even if this time we aren't going to step up to the base to be put in jail, or risk other communities to be put in jail on our behalf, that is not what we want," Stewart said. "So, we'll keep fighting for this until we can reasonably say there's nowhere else to take it."

Stewart says they are not backing down just yet, but if the time comes, The Satanic Grotto will start planning for new events instead.

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