SALEM, Mass. – Beginning early this month and, frankly, on cue, a surge of conservative Christian messaging has renewed the annual calls to avoid Halloween celebrations — and, in some cases, to confront or disrupt them. While many faith groups simply discourage participation, others have taken a more aggressive approach, framing Halloween and related Pagan observances like Samhain as manifestations of evil that must be “spiritually opposed.”
In all fairness, not every Christian or church objects to Halloween, and many actively support religious freedom and interfaith respect. Yet the warnings and condemnations from vocal conservative groups often drown out those more moderate voices.
Salem Psychic Fair and Witches’ Market on 1 Church Street, [Courtesy
Across social media, Christian influencers and ministries have once again amplified warnings that Halloween is “anti-Christian,” not merely secular or non-religious. Some claim that its roots in Samhain and ancestor veneration make it inherently pagan and demonic, even citing biblical passages as prohibitions against its observance.
Messages circulating among these groups urge believers to abstain from Halloween entirely, rejecting costumes, decorations, and even church-sponsored events as moral compromises. A few extend their condemnation to other popular holidays with pre-Christian roots, such as Christmas and Easter, calling them “man’s holidays” disguised as worship.
Media personalities like Glenn Beck have amplified the message, and in one case, describing October 31 as the most likely night for “human sacrifice” worldwide, a baseless but recurring claim in evangelical discourse.
While these ideas are not new, their intensity this year appears to have coincided with organized actions intended to “reclaim” public spaces from what these groups see as darkness. In Salem, often called “the Witch City,” that rhetoric has turned into direct confrontation the last two nights, escalating yesterday.
Disruption at the Salem Psychic Fair and Witches’ Market
On Monday evening, October 27, a group affiliated with Philip Renner Ministries entered the Witch City Psychic Fair & Witches Market, an annual event hosted by Christian Day, Brian Cain, and the Witches of Salem. Day and Cain are owners of Hex. The fair, held throughout October, features licensed psychics, readers, and artisans offering services and goods in the city’s pedestrian mall
According to witnesses, members of the ministry entered private vendor areas, disrupted psychic readings, and anointed tables, photographs, and other materials with oil — a ritual act they later celebrated online. Ultimately, desecrating an Ancestor altar.
In a social media post, Renner Ministries wrote:
“What a God moment!
We stayed later than the psychics, and when they left, we anointed their tent with oil! The next day, their flow was broken—almost no clients showed up. Worship shifts atmospheres and confuses the enemy’s camp! It happened right at the witch fair in Salem, Massachusetts. Revival is here—and this generation will see God move in power! Together, we shock the darkness!”
Day confirmed the incident in a statement to The Wild Hunt:
“Radical Christians came into our psychic fair on Sunday evening and began harassing our psychic fair, anointing our photos and tables with oil that could potentially damage our property. The Salem Police gave them nothing but a warning.”
Day said he has contacted Mayor Dominick Pangallo and Police Chief Lucas Miller regarding what he described as “a serious lapse in judgment” by responding officers. He expressed alarm that Sergeant Matthew Fisher reportedly issued only a warning despite “clear acts of vandalism, trespassing, and harassment.”
The disruption did not end there. Members of the same group reportedly returned to the pedestrian mall outside Hex, one of Day’s shops, attempting once again to interfere with readings taking place inside. “This was another incident of trespassing and harassment,” Day said.
All participants in the market and employees of Hex are safe, but it doesn’t diminish safety concerns.
This is not the first disruption of similar events. In 2023, a different group of Christian protesters entered the Witches’ circle on Salem Commons, and police took no action to remove them. While barriers and training were provided in 2024, similar enforcement issues have resurfaced this year.
“I probably shouldn’t have to stress this,” he added, underscoring his concern, “but vandalism is not protected by the First Amendment. ”
Community Outrage and Calls for Action
The incident has sparked widespread outrage within Salem’s Pagan and interfaith communities. Angie Buchanan, a longtime Pagan leader, condemned the group’s behavior in a public post on the Christian group’s site.
“That you so-called Christians would have the audacity to presume that you are entitled to go anywhere you please, waving your religion around like a naked penis, and spiritually violating people — how dare you! Keep your religion in your church just like you keep your penises in your pants. This kind of performative conduct is the epitome of arrogance and self-serving pride.”
Other responses were ritual in nature. Justin Arnold shared a written invocation to Hekate, calling for the spiritual cleansing of the market and the reversal of unwanted intentions:
“To those who have entered our circle uninvited with oil, chant, and blessing: know this place remembers who tends and keeps it… Hekate, key-turner, guardian, guide — let the boundary hold. Let the circle be whole.”
Local leaders are urging city officials to take stronger measures to protect vendors, visitors, and religious practitioners during Salem’s busiest season. “Hundreds of thousands of Witches come to Salem as a kind of Mecca,” Day said. “They hope to feel safe. It’s beyond disappointing that this safety continues not to be a priority for public officials.”
The Salem Police Department has not yet issued a formal statement on the incident.
A Recurring Pattern
Philip Renner Ministries has posted videos of similar disruptions at other events, including Atlanta Pride, and has announced plans to appear in Orlando, Florida, in the coming weeks. The group frames these actions as part of a campaign to “shock the darkness” and bring “revival” to public gatherings they view as spiritually dangerous.
For Salem’s Pagan community, however, these actions feel less like evangelism and more like targeted harassment — and a reminder of the fragility of religious freedom in spaces where spiritual diversity should be celebrated.
As the city prepares for its annual Salem Witches’ Magic Circle on Halloween night, organizers remain concerned. “We’ve seen this pattern before,” Day said. “It’s training issues, it’s lack of accountability, and it’s a lack of understanding that Witches have the same rights as everyone else. But we will not be intimidated. Our circle will hold.”
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