Key of David Church protesters disrupt 'Hawk-A-Palooza' at Saint Joseph's University

Thursday, May 2, 2019
Group known for spewing hate staged protest at St. Joe's University
The group has been known for staging scream fests on campuses as reported by Dann Cuellar during Action News at 11 on May 1, 2019.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Key of David Church protesters have been known for staging scream fests on campuses using megaphones.

The group claims they want to save people's souls, but they are seen by many as a hate group.

Their latest target: Saint Joseph's University.

About 200 SJU students were celebrating what's known as 'Hawk-A-Palooza' Wednesday, marking the last day of classes before finals.

That's when Pastor Aden Rusfeldt, his wife Mary and their small group of Key of David Church protestors with megaphones showed up.

"You better wake up," screamed Mary Rusfeldt through the megaphone.

Pastor Aden Rusfeldt says they picked SJU today "because all those pedophile priests in Pennsylvania."

"And that's a major problem, sir," added Aden.

Rusfeldt admits he was once a sinner himself, accused by the feds in 2016 of currency trade fraud and ordered to pay more than $2 million in restitution and almost $1 million in fines.

On Wednesday, his group showed up preaching against gangster rappers, rock 'n' roll "freaks," gays, Muslims, Jews and "so-called Christians."

"Are you saying that this institution and these students are fake Christians?" asked reporter Dann Cuellar.

"Yes" she answered.

"But how can you say that?" Cuellar continued.

"Listen to the music that they're playing. It's wicked." said Rusfeldt.

"But what's wicked about it?" Cuellar asked.

Rusfeldt responded, "You obviously are going to go to hell too, sir."

The spectacle obviously did not sit well with SJU students.

"A really ignorant (protest) by a group of individuals who have a lot of hate in their lives and they feel a need to share it," said freshman Stephen O' Malley.

"I think it's extremely rude and disrespectful to the culture that we have here at school. We are a loving community and to have this hate and bigotry come to our school really shows how strong we are as a community," sophomore Emily Cherival said.

"They totally crashed our Palooza which I think is sad because this is supposed to be a day of fun. Instead we're fighting inequality and sexism and homophobia," freshman Megan Piasecki said.

Although there has been violence when the Key of David protestors show up, SJU students kept their cool.

SJU security and police kept things from getting out of hand.