From The Times:
The mayor of an Italian town who organized a festival to celebrate a legend about local witches has been accused by an association of exorcists of encouraging devil worship.
Clemente Mastella, the mayor of Benevento near Naples, held the three-day event last month, complete with face painting for children, and is planning a witches’ theme park in the town. Benevento’s ties to witchcraft allegedly date back to the 7th century when Germanic invaders held pagan rites around a sacred walnut tree.