Elliot then called the police and “finally they’ve gone”. An ambulance was also called.
“Today, I thought I was having a heart attack because I had sharp pains in my chest. I couldn’t breathe properly. It was a little bit of a panic attack.”
She said the women took issue with the store’s products, including crystals, tarot cards, sage and “witch’s brooms, which are decor”.
“But I’m not the only one in Rotorua that sells it.”
Elliot claimed the three women did the same thing two weeks ago. She called the police who “moved them on”.
Before that, Elliot said the three women had gone into the shop three times and had “a nice talk with me”.
“They asked like, ‘Could they bless me, could they pray for me’ … so they held my hand and they prayed and what not. Very nice, and then this happens.”
Elliot said the incidents had made her feel angry, anxious and “really upset”.
“Go preach, I don’t care. That’s your belief but go in the middle of the square or something, you don’t have to do it in front of my shop …
“You can’t run a business like that, you just can’t do it.
“I hope they don’t come back. I don’t want to go through this all the time.”
Elliot said this was her fourth year owning Muma Dee’z Creations, a “spiritual, holistic store” which sold healing products.
“We don’t practise witchcraft, we never have practised witchcraft …
“We’re not an evil store – we’re here to help. We’re here for the people.”
A police spokesman said police received a report about three people causing “public disturbance” on Tutanekai St.
“Police attended and spoke with those involved. There were no arrests nor charges.”
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.