Ah, spring, when the air is filled with music and allegations of hate crimes. Cyndia Riker, Wiccan owner of Witches Grove magic store in Lancaster, California, says a Spring Equinox celebration was interrupted when half a dozen cars pulled up with Christians inside. They reportedly blared Christian rock music, shouted Bible verses, and pushed around a few worshipers. The local district attorney declined to file charges, saying, "It was just two different groups in a public place exercising their First Amendment rights and voicing their beliefs." Supporters of the Wiccan group asked the FBI to investigate the incident as a hate crime. And in case you're wondering, none of the Wiccans converted to Christianity as a result of the confrontation.


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Christians disrupted pagan equinox partyLos Angeles Daily News (April 1, 2002)

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