Weekend Gold Coast Bulletin

‘Welcome demonic spirits’: Satanists speak out over prayer room

- PAUL WESTON AND BRIANNA MORRIS-GRANT

SATANISTS say they want to meet with Mayor Tom Tate to open up Evandale’s prayer room to the public as their supporters “welcome back the demonic spirits” to HOTA.

Lawyer Trevor Bell, speaking on behalf of the Noosa Temple of Satan which has 10,000 Facebook followers, expects a small turnout at a ceremony at the Green Bridge outside the arts precinct on Saturday.

He said the planned “welcome back the demonic spirits” would not drive out Christian, Muslim and Jewish spirits.

“By the time we finish it will be a multi-faith, multi-religious experience at HOTA,” Mr Bell said.

Asked if he would like to talk to Mr Tate, Mr Bell replied: “Yes, but I would be very surprised if he would want to talk to me. I don’t think he has much time for me or Satanists in general.”

Mr Bell said hospitals and universiti­es had prayer rooms that were multifaith. “With this particular example (the mayor’s spiritual adviser) Sue Baynes is overtly pro-christian and has come out as anti-satanic. That is not the sort of person who should be in charge of what should be a multifaith prayer room and experience.

“They weren’t really about a prayer room. This was a Christian prayer room. That’s what’s been exposed by this.”

Mr Bell visited Evandale on Friday about 1pm after the group had its earlier booking for 10.30am cancelled for security reasons. Police and security were in the precinct.

The group is furious about the snub because the Mayor, only three weeks ago, said the old storage room at the Evandale Chambers was “open to any member of the public or any group through normal booking protocols”.

The group maintains Ms Baynes, in an earlier telephone call, indicated the venue was available.

Mayor Tate was not at council, after visiting Burleigh Heads at 10.30am to talk about an “investment action program” with a Coast company at which he learned to pour cocktails.

The Mayor was pouring a “ruthless Ruth” as he toured the Mr Consistent cocktail supplying business.

“It’s so, so sweet and just beautiful to look at – day or night,” he said.

At 11.30am, the Mayor left for Robina for a Streets of Remembranc­e launch to honour World War I services personnel and their families.

A council insider said that the media opportunit­ies were booked some time ago.

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