US city council opens with ‘Hail Satan’ prayer (VIDEO)

The invocation triggered an uproar after a pastor accused the speaker of placing a “curse” on the Iowa community An Iowa city council meeting erupted into controversy after opening with a Satanic invocation that ended with the words “Hail Satan,” prompting a local pastor to demand that officials “reverse this curse.”Matt Dalbey, an Ottumwa resident and former city council member, delivered the invocation at Tuesday’s meeting under a policy allowing residents of different religions and belief systems to open council proceedings with a prayer or reflection.Dalbey began by addressing a “dark father” and invoking what he called the “Luciferian impulse” before concluding: “It is done. Hail Satan.”The invocation immediately drew objections from New Life Center pastor Rick Bick, who interrupted the proceedings.“That was a curse put on the city,” he said. “Most of you know that, and we need to just stop and reverse it… ‘Hail Satan’ is not welcome here.” Mayor Benjamin Foote then called for a 30-second moment of silence “to reflect on whatever it is we need to reflect on at this time.”Dalbey’s invocation was permitted under a policy adopted by the council in January. The measure states that...