A a regional government meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough in Alaska, a member of the Satanic Temple was allowed to open the meeting with the prayer of her choice. Unsurprisingly, Iris Fontana chose an opening invocation that honored Satan.
Kenai radio station, KSRM, reported Fontana as saying:That which will not bend, must break, and that which can be destroyed by truth should never be spared as demise. It is done, hail Satan.
The decision to allow Ms. Fontana to speak was spurred by a lawsuit against the borough, after officials passed a measure which stated that only members of groups with a significant presence in the Kenai borough could give the invocation. The policy was put into effect in 2016, but was quickly challenged in court by the ACLU of Alaska on behalf of several plaintiffs, including Fontana.
The Alaska Supreme Court ruled that the borough’s policy was unconstitutional. SoKenai borough government was required to change the rules, opening the way for anyone any of religion to offer the invocation.
The “Hail Satan” declaration prompted about a dozen government officials and meeting attendees to walk out and boycott the rest of the meeting. The pre-planned event also drew about 40 protesters, some from as far away as Pennsylvania. The crowd stood outside the meeting and held up signs that read “reject Satan and his works” and “know Jesus and his love.”
