Demonic Presence Installed On Concord’s City Plaza

CONCORD, NH — Satanists installed a demon at the City Plaza outside the Statehouse on Saturday afternoon.

The Satanic Temple has been installing demons in public spaces as part of a “Satanic Representation Campaign … promoting pluralism and fighting for the religious liberty of (temple) members who seek to freely and openly express their beliefs,” according to the org’s website. After the installation, a ceremony was held with about a dozen temple followers.

The organization has placed similar installations in several cities nationwide, including Boston, Massachusetts, and Tallahassee, Florida.

Last month, the temple reportedly requested the demon be installed at the Statehouse. The organization then petitioned the city late last month for a permit.

City Manager Tom Aspell said a meeting was held with councilors and legal counsel about the issue, and councilors approved the permit to be installed after the Christmas Tree Lighting and Midnight Merriment events.

Mayor Byron Champlin said he “strongly opposed” the decision by “the majority of my colleagues on city council” to allow the holiday display.

“I am disappointed and hope that the council will reconsider this decision,” he said. “In a season when most major religions celebrate peace, hope, joy, and light, an image of the prince of darkness on city property, sponsored by an organization based in New York, is inappropriate.”

Amanda Grady Sexton, an at-large city councilor, also was outraged by the display.

“This statute is nothing more than a publicity stunt staged by an out-of-state entity that has no real interest or investment in Concord,” she said. “If religious groups want to have a display outside of the State House, they should apply for permits through the state of NH, not the city of Concord.”

Grady Sexton added decisions about what is displayed on the plaza “should happen in public,” and she encouraged Champlin “to hold a vote on this issue.”

Jennifer Kretovic, who represents Ward 3, called the issue “a complex intersection of constitutional rights and local governance.” While respecting free speech is fundamental to democracy, she said, the situation raises concerns about the influence of external organizations (the temple is based in Elmira, NY) in shaping decisions that deeply affect our local community.

“Standing firm on our principles and prioritizing the voice of Concord’s residents would have been an act of bravery,” Kretovic said. “Choosing a path out of fear of litigation, while understandable, may leave many feeling that our local autonomy has been compromised.”

Kretovic called the permit a no-win situation from the start, underscoring the need for the community to reflect on how it can maintain stronger local control in public space usage.

“Moving forward,” she said, “I hope we can come together to ensure that Concord’s values, voices, and priorities remain at the forefront of such decisions, even when faced with challenging circumstances.”

Patch emailed the 12 other city councilors to request comment on their decision to allow the permit. We will update this post when we get a response.

The council meets next at 7 p.m. on Monday.

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