The owner of a Rotorua holistic shop says she's scared to be there alone after a group twice preached outside it, telling people she practised "witchcraft" and would kill anyone who went in.
Muma Dee'z Creations owner Doris Elliot said three women had been preaching outside her shop on Thursday, the second such incident in a fortnight.
Police said they received a report at around midday about three people causing a public disturbance on Tutanekai St. Officers attended and spoke with those involved. No arrests were made and no charges were laid.
Elliot told 1News her husband had been pushed by a man with the group and her son called an ambulance after she developed sharp chest pains.
"I thought I was going to have a heart attack because I had real sharp pains in my heart area, in my chest, and I couldn't breathe properly."
She said the group had first turned up about two weeks ago, telling people not to enter the shop because it was evil.
"They started preaching in front of my shop and telling people not to go into the shop because it's evil, and if they come into the shop they'll be killed because I practise witchcraft."
Police had removed the group on that occasion and she thought that would be the end of it, she said.
"But then yesterday they did it again, but they were even more fiercer and they were saying that I personally would kill people if they entered my shop."
She said the group grew louder the more she asked them to leave, and a crowd began to gather and back them.
Police had trespassed the group from the front of her premises, she said, but they could still stand outside the shops next door and she was worried they would come back.
"I'm really concerned that they're going to come back and do this again."
Elliot has run the shop for four years, making soaps, candles and incense, and selling herbs, essential oils, sage, tarot cards and decorative brooms.
Trade had already been slow because of the cost of living and some weeks she did not cover the shop's running costs.
"I'm here to help people heal as best as I can through the products that I sell. I'm not here to get rich quick."
Selling those things did not make her a witch, she said.
"I'm not here to push anyone into anything. I'm here to serve the people, to help the people, so they can keep carrying on in their own beliefs. We are all about love and light in this store."
Some customers started crying the moment they walked in because they felt safe enough to do so, she said. Some did not buy anything and that was fine with her.
"If they can have that five minutes of feeling safe, that they can be themselves, well then I've done my job."
She said yesterday's incident had left her nervous about being in the shop on her own.
Elliot said she did not believe anyone had the right to label people with different beliefs as evil.
"There's so many beliefs in this life, and we can all learn to live together without judging one another, and loving one another."
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