Damage ‘act of Satan’

Press, 14 July 1982, Page 1

Damage ‘act of Satan’

Prophet Petra allegedly broke the Bible Lady's trusty violin before the lunchtime throng in Cathedral Square yesterday. The Wizard (lan Brackenbury Channell) is ecstatic that his arch-enemy's instrument has been destroyed at last; the Bible Lady (Mrs Renee Stanton) is incensed: and Prophet Petra will be in the District Court today on a wilful damage charge. It happened about 1 p.m. Prophet Petra, a young woman who has no time for "evangelical types," according to the Wizard allegedly took the violin and broke it over a railing in front of Christchurch Cathedral. The Bible Lady, outraged, denounced it as an act of Satan and complained to the police. Prophet Petra, who is also religious — “but in a sensible way; she smokes and drinks and lives on the beach." according to the Wizard — was apparently convinced that Jesus wanted her to break the violin. "Here we have a interesting direct conflict, you see."

said the Wizard, who believed that the Bible Lady's violin made a “horrible, scraping sound," and is so pleased to be rid of it that he is organising a collection to pay Prophet Petra’s fine. Nor is he surprised that Prophet Petra faces the justice of an earthly court. "She (the Bible Lady) has had the police to me, when I have had to squirt her with holy water from my water pistol to keep her away. She does not trust in God, but the police, to avenge her,” he said. Personally, the Wizard prefers to trust in his own powers rather than rely on the police in a sticky situation. "I myself have been assaulted many times. When you stand in front of people and annoy them you have to expect the odd poke,” he said. It is not known if the Bible Lady has got a new violin but the Wizard has kept a piece of the old one — “just a fragment, to use in spells," he said.