Michigan town board meeting descends into chaos after Satanic temple leader is allowed to give opening speech

Chaos erupted at the Ottawa County board meeting in Michigan when a member of the Satanic Church delivered an invocation to start the gathering.

A man by the name of Luis Cypher, a minister of the Satanic Temple of West Michigan, gave a speech on Tuesday reiterating the importance of separating church and state, one of the main principles of the organization.

But the massive crowd descended into protest as people chanted and sang hymns such as 'Amazing Grace,' put signs on the wall that said, 'God always, Satan never' and 'Satan has no rights.'

One man yelled, 'hail Satan,' while others yelled, 'we love Jesus.'

The exchanges remained verbal and did not escalate to physical violence.

Chaos erupted at the Ottawa County board meeting in Michigan when a member of the Satanic Church delivered an invocation to start the meeting (pictured: A Christian protesting the invocation)

But the massive crowd descended into protest as people chanted and sang hymns such as Amazing Grace, put signs on the wall that said 'God always, Satan never' and 'Satan has no rights'

The turbulent beginning to the meeting came after the board changed its policy in January to permit pastors to address commissioners provided they adhered to certain guidelines. 

According to MLive, the action was brought about by concerns from a Grand Haven-based LGBTQ activist pastor who filed a lawsuit against the county for not being selected to give an invocation. 

Co-head of The Satanic Temple of West Michigan Bendr Bones said he thought the invocation went well despite the protests.

In fact, he said he saw the large amount of protestors gathered at the board meeting was a sign that his organization was successfully carrying out their mission.

Last year, Ottawa County was established as a 'constitutional county' that protects individual rights of free speech. Bones said the invocation was a meant to test just that. 

Co-head of The Satanic Temple of West Michigan Bendr Bones (pictured) said he thought the invocation went well despite the protests

Pictured: Bones shared the significance of upholding the Constitution for TST members during a session with the Commissioner's Board

Bones (pictured) said the large amount of protestors gathered at the board meeting was a sign that his organization was successfully carrying out their mission

'It's sort of a message that "I'm doing the right thing" if people that I ideologically disagree with are protesting,' he said. 

Bones said the man who yelled, 'hail Satan,' in the crowd was not a member of the Satanic Temple as he was advised not to react to or engage with protestors.

Joe Rizo, a local from Allegen, said The Satanic Temple had the right to speak at the government, just as him and other followers of Christ had the right to protest.

'We're just here to praise God,' said Rizo.

Members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to commissioners ahead of the meeting in support of free speech, local NBC affiliate WOOD reported.

'I think what most people want their county commissioners to do is to act as a government and not get involved into these controversial religious disputes,' said Patrick Elliott, FFRF director of legal counsel.

'And so we think the best way to resolve it is to drop the invocation or drop the prayer. If they're not going to do that, there may be some prayers that some on the board don't like and that's OK. They're going to have to tolerate that.'

While Cypher's speech prompted Christians present at the meeting to speak out against the temple, others were less than thrilled about commissioners for allowing for multiple invocations to be present.

One man yelled 'hail satan' while others yelled 'we love Jesus'

Last year, Ottawa County was established as a 'constitutional county' that protects individual rights of free speech, and the Satanic Temple wanted to test just that

'Apparently this is now a pulpit where people need to explain their religion,' she said. 'This is not a church.'

Adopting the new invocation policy, according to Ottawa County Board Chair Joe Moss, will advance free speech. 

Additionally, he stated that even if organizations like The Satanic Temple of West Michigan are permitted to speak, he has spoken with other pastors who endorse the change.