Satanist leader's attempt to hold Black Mass in Kansas Statehouse sparks chaos and 4 arrests

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- A confrontation at the Kansas Statehouse led to the arrest of Michael Stewart, the leader of the Kansas City-area Satanic Grotto, and three others on Friday. The incident occurred during Stewart's attempt to hold a Black Mass in the rotunda, prompting a chaotic scene involving members of the Satanic group and hundreds of Christian counterprotesters who opposed the event. Governor Laura Kelly had temporarily banned protests inside the Statehouse after Catholic groups requested action against the planned ceremony.

Stewart's group, which advocates for the separation of church and state, organized the rally to protest what they allege is a favoritism towards Christian events within the Statehouse. The internal conflict escalated as around 30 Grotto members confronted over 100 Christian protesters, resulting in a vocal clash across police tape. The event drew even more Christians, who gathered to express their disapproval of the Satanic group's message, which included denouncing Jesus.

The Grotto's endeavor to hold their ceremony was met with significant pushback from leaders in the Catholic community, who condemned the event as an affront to their faith. Pastor Jeremiah Hicks articulated concerns about the implications of dedicating a state ceremony to Satan, framing it as a pursuit of death rather than life.

Despite the disruptions, Stewart and his supporters asserted that their efforts were rooted in the First Amendment rights of free speech and religious expression, positioning their Black Mass as a necessary act of defiance. Stewart had initially planned the event for when the legislature was to be in session, but lawmakers had adjourned a day earlier. After the incident, Stewart indicated that the group may attempt to return next year for another demonstration.

The confrontation culminated in a physical altercation when Stewart attempted to conduct the Black Mass. A young man named Marcus Schroeder was arrested for allegedly trying to seize the script from Stewart, which led to Stewart striking him. After his arrest for disorderly conduct, Stewart's friends and family defended his actions, emphasizing that he was merely exercising his rights. Other arrests during the unrest included two individuals accompanying Stewart and Schroeder, as tensions around the Satanic ceremony flared in the rotunda.