Colorado Springs City Council members target Pride Parade after "Hail Satan" shout-out

A harmless phrase fueled right-wing outrage and unleashed all kinds of performative politics

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The Pikes Peak Pride Festival was held a little over a week ago near Colorado Springs, and like you would expect, when the parade made its way through the community, the announcer read aloud a brief description of the participating groups.

One of those groups was Satanic Colorado:

Satanic Colorado marches in the Pikes Peak Pride Parade (image via Facebook)

They’re regulars in this parade and have been participating for years now.

Their inclusion led to this amusing announcement from the parade’s emcee:

And next up, we have the [sic] Satanic Colorado, a non-theistic religious community operating throughout the state, promoting benevolence and empathy among all people, advocating for justice, equality, and working toward a world where all can live freely and authentically.

Hail Satan!

The proper response to that is laughter. The host was merely reading what Satanic Colorado had submitted in their parade application.

But the stochastic terrorist operating the Libs of TikTok account shared that video, expressing shock that the last line was “met with cheers.” She called it “Demonic” and essentially turned her audience against the group, the Pride festival organizers, and the city itself for allowing it to happen.

What made matters worse was that Colorado Springs City Council took the bait.

Earlier this month, the same city council chose not to issue any kind of proclamation honoring Pride Month (despite doing so the three years prior). They justified that move by saying they no longer wanted to “engage in identity-based or political gestures.”

If the implication was that the city council was no longer inclusive, President Lynette Crow-Iverson hammered that point home by lashing out against parade organizers for allowing the “incident” at the Parade. (There was no “incident.”) She pretended the announcement of the Satanists, including the line “Hail Satan,” should never have been allowed because it was “offensive” and “designed to shock.”

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“The recent incident at a Pride event in our city — where an individual gave a public shout-out to Satan — 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.

Let me be clear: this is exactly the kind of divisive and performative behavior City Council leadership is determined to avoid. We made the decision not to issue a Pride proclamation — not out of animosity or exclusion, but out of principle. We will not engage in symbolic politics that elevate identity or ideology above shared purpose. Our job is to serve all citizens — equally and seriously — and to focus on what actually improves lives: public safety, infrastructure, economic strength, and quality of life.

When events cross a line into mockery or extremism, they do real damage to community trust. They erode the credibility of causes that deserve honest debate. And they affirm why elected officials must stay grounded in substance, not spectacle.

We do not pander. We lead.”

That’s what shitty leadership looks like when the city council wants to pander to the conservative Christians in Colorado Springs.

To be clear, there was no public “shout-out” to Satan. There was a brief acknowledgment of Satanic Colorado for marching in the parade—the same as all other participants—and the announcer read the copy that was submitted. Members of the group were also allegedly saying the words as they walked the route. Judging by the tone, though, it was clear everyone understood the tongue-in-cheek humor even if the city council didn’t. (The irony, of course, is that the Satanists don’t actually believe in Satan. Christians do.)

But more to the point, which part of that group description was “offensive”? Was it the part about Satanists “promoting benevolence and empathy”? The advocacy for “justice, equality, and working toward a world where all can live freely and authentically”?

The fact is that even if no one said “Hail Satan,” there are conservatives who would freak out by the mere inclusion of a Satanic group in the mix. There’s no way to satisfy religious zealots. Might as well poke the bear at that point.

But then the city council went even further. Local news outlet KRDO13 said that at least one council member wanted to withdraw 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 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.

In short, Donelson supports free speech unless anyone says something he doesn’t like, in which case he believes they should be punished. It also takes very little to shock him, apparently. (Donelson also complained about this on Monday during the city council’s work session. You can hear him whining at the 2:21:50 mark here.)

Satanic Colorado’s Legz Fi Daisy told the news channel that the goal of their chant wasn’t to offend anyone. It was to take control of an idea that’s been used against so many of their own members in the past:

"So many of us have religious traumas… oftentimes related to our queerness. And 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 [Satanic] Colorado.

In a lengthier statement, Satanic Colorado said it was “very flattered that the Colorado Springs City Council has taken such a sudden interest in Satanism.” Then they went directly after the council’s bigotry:

… City Council President Lynette Crow-Iverson’s recent statements about Satanic Colorado's participation in the Pikes Peak Pride parade are ignorant, malicious, and could not possibly be more wrong.

There was no “incident” at the parade. There is nothing extreme, provocative, or shocking about our presence at Pride. We marched in the parade as we always do. The announcer announced us, as they announce all marchers. The only controversy here is the one the Councilwoman is attempting to manufacture, to weaponize prejudice against a minority religion to disparage the LGBT community. As Satanists, we are no strangers to demonization and combating this exact sort of scapegoating is a significant part of what we do.

Our presence is not new, unusual, or unexpected. The only divisive and performative behavior on display here is that of Crow-Iverson herself. We have been a part of this city’s tradition of vibrant religious expression since before the Councilwoman’s appointment to city council, and we will continue to be long after her tenure expires.

Satanic Colorado is proud to be a part of the Colorado Springs queer community. Satanic Colorado is proud to be a part of the Colorado Springs religious community. Satanic Colorado is proud to be a part of Colorado Springs. We refuse to be used as a tool to do harm to those we love.

Hail Satan!

The good news is that the majority of the city council doesn’t appear to have any desire to revoke funding from the Pride Festival even if some of their conservative colleagues can’t handle non-traditional ideas. But we won’t know how seriously to take that threat until later this year when the city’s next budget is considered.

Legz Fi Daisy told me that, had it not been for the Libs of TikTok video, everything would have been perfectly fine. No one seemed to complain about their presence in the parade when it was actually happening. Furthermore, other than perhaps the food vendors, “We are very well received” and “have the longest lines at our booth.” The members don’t proselytize when they interact with people who want to learn more; they let the community choose their own level of engagement.

When it came to the parade, Legz Fi Daisy told me, “the cheers felt overwhelming.”

I also found video of the 2023 Pikes Peak Pride Parade in which you can hear the announcer reading similar copy about Satanic Colorado (which was, at the time, affiliated with The Satanic Temple). While he doesn’t say “Hail Satan,” he arguably reads a description that’s just as provocative:

And next up, behold! The Satanic Temple Colorado, the one-stop shop for all things Satan in the state. Established in 2017, we have been spreading acceptance and community engagement across multiple regions in Colorado. So whether you’re looking to snuggle a goat, or just meet some like-minded folks, we’ve got you covered. Happy Pride!

The group also appeared in the 2024 parade (here’s video of them, at the 34:40 mark), but you can’t hear the announcer in that particular video.

Their appearances in those parades, however, generated zero controversy, probably because right-wing provocateurs didn’t realize they were supposed to be mad about this.

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