Viral ‘Hail Satan’ moment at Pride Parade sparks city council debate
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A viral video from the Pikes Peak Pride Parade that happened on June 15 shows a group called "Satanic Colorado" chanting "Hail Satan" while participating in the parade.
The video, posted on June 16 by the Twitter account "Libs of TikTok," has more than 300,000 views on social media.
Colorado Springs City Council Leadership released a statement condemning the group's actions:
"The recent incident at a Pride event in our city... was not only offensive, but completely unacceptable. This kind of message does not represent the values of Colorado Springs or the respectful expression of any legitimate cause. It was a blatant provocation designed to shock and divide."
KRDO13 Investigates spoke with council members, some of whom told us that they are calling to withdraw city funding from future Pride Parades.
"I have to say, I was shocked," says City Councilmember Dave Donelson. "Veterans Day parade will get nothing this year. The festival of lights will get nothing. But but that celebration got $60,000, and it was a 50% increase."
Donelson says he understands free speech, but feels that this crossed a line because tax funds went to Pikes Peak Pride.
City Councilmember Kimberly Gold had a different view.
"I believe that if we isolate one faith-based organization out of ten that participate in a parade to discredit their funding, we are not focused on the right thing at city council," she said.
In response to the controversy, KRDO13 Investigates also sat down with Satanic Colorado, who said they weren't trying to offend others with their hail satan chant.
"So many of us have religious traumas, some, oftentimes related to our queerness. And it is sort of a reclamation. It is sort of a reclamation. These words have been used to harm us in the past, and to be able to kind of disarm that harmful intent," said a Legz Fi Daisy with Santanic Colorado.
Pikes Peak Pride told KRDO13 Investigates that they support everyone's First Amendment right and the freedom to say what they believe without government interference.
Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.
