Witches are flocking to Brooklyn this October 20th for a gathering to hex Brett Kavanaugh, who was just sworn in to the Supreme Court despite several accusations of sexual assault. Brooklyn-based witch Dakota Bracciale arranged the event, which is scheduled to take place at Catland, an occult bookstore and spiritual community space. Half of the proceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood and the Ali Forney Center, a NYC shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth, the Huffington Post reports.
Different from a binding spell, which is about limiting or preventing someone’s actions, a hex takes a more aggressive approach with a direct supernatural attack. A hex is “not something you do lightly,” Bracciale tells the Huffington Post, “but it is something in your arsenal or toolbox.” The upcoming public ritual is meant as a radical act of resistance continuing the tradition of witchcraft being “practiced by people who were cast out, harmed by society and had to make their own way,” Bracciale says.
This isn’t their first political hex. Last year, Bracciale organized three hexes against Donald Trump. However, the ritual serves as a cathartic vengeance “upon all rapists and the patriarchy at large which emboldens, rewards and protects them,” the event’s Facebook page details. Kavanaugh’s confirmation felt like a slap in the face to survivors of sexual assault, as it sent a clear message that even if victims, like Dr. Blasey, are deemed “credible,” the legal system will still fail them. Bracciale said, the hex is about “exacting justice that would otherwise be denied to you.”
The event is sold-out with a capacity for 60, but 1,000 people have plans to attend. In addition to livestreaming the event, Catland is planning on posting instructions to social media, for those who want to perform the ritual at home. Exact spells will correspond with the needs of the group that gathers, as some participants may want to personalize the hex for their abusers.
Regardless of belief, the planned hex has created feelings of community and solidarity. “We’re putting out the message that you’re not alone, we’re not leaving you alone with the monsters,” affirms Bracciale.
Header image via The Craft,1996
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