Hunter
12/15/23
The controversial Satanic Temple Iowa’s display in Des Moines at the Capitol building was vandalized Thursday.
The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports the display features a statue of Baphomet, a goat-headed figure often used to represent Satan. The display also features seven tenets upheld by the Satanic Temple.
A post on X showed pictures of the head of the statue ripped off, broken into pieces and left on the floor. The poster said the statue was beyond repair, but the altar still stands and is set to remain up until Saturday.
35-year-old Michael Cassidy of Lauderdale Mississippi was charged with 4th-degree criminal mischief in relation to the incident. Images of the display sparked outrage on social media last week and calls for it to be removed. Advocates say the display is religious expression protected by the First Amendment.
Earlier in the week, Governor Kim Reynolds said in a statement that she disagreed with the display and encouraged all those “of faith” to pray over the Capitol and recognize the nativity scene that will be on display, calling it the “true reason for the season.”